Sonic The Hedgehog
by heronkij
Summary: An old Fanfic. Made it when I was only 15. Grammar sucks.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Another Year, another Summer Camp

Sonic wasn't pleased with how fast the bus was going, 30-35 MPH tops. He could get at a run five times faster than this. But then again, if he did run, he'd probably get lost, so he had no choice but to take the bus.

But it stank, nay, REEKED of something horrible, plus that big red guy with the dreadlocks up front was spitting seeds out and they were landing in Sonics face, for his window was open, it was the only one open for some reason.

He soon got incredibly bored and tried to start a conversation with the guy next to him "Man, could this bus get any slower?"

The big purple cat simply stared at him with an odd, wide-eyed, somewhat confused look. Sonic decided to shut up.

He leaned forward on the seat in front of him, looked out the window, and saw the massive 75 foot trees, all green with the blessings of summer….

PHWAP his silent stare was interrupted with a black sunflower seed at the tip of his nose. Sonic could feel his face burning with rage, and he stood up with lightning speed "HEY, YOU BIG RED IDIOT! STOP SPITTING THOSE FREEKIN' SEEDS AT ME!"

Sonic ducked in fear as the big red guy stood up, noticing the massive fists is what made him duck. "WHO SAID THAT?" Sonic whimpered as the guys booming voice echoed shortly through the bus. "NOT MAN ENOUGH HUH? Fine!" screamed the red time-bomb.

Sonic got back up, eyes wide with fear. Then he looked to his left to see that the gigantic purple cat (and his apparent pet frog) was both looking at him, curiously.

"What?" asked Sonic, and was shocked to actually hear an answer from the huge feline.

"Nothing." said a very low and stupid sounding voice.

Sonic dashed off the bus, hungry for fresh air "OH LAND HOW I BLESS THEE WITH A KISS!" he screamed, making a large group of people laugh hysterically.

He then proceeded to run around and play his favorite game, which had no real title but it involved him running around and tapping random "Good looking" girls on the buttocks area and running away, making them look back at him in slight shock and admiration.

But, like he always did, he got tired of the game after a few minutes and decided to lean his back on a random building wall. Unfortunately for Sonic, this same random building wall was also being leaned on by a very silent red echidna with dreadlock-like spines, yet the blue hedgehog didn't notice him.

"Do I know you?" asked a familiar deep voice from behind Sonic, frightening him to the bone. But he turned and looked at the big red guy, who was now wearing a Crocodile-Dundee-like hat, which was drooped slightly over his eyes, and was still spitting seeds. But Sonic remained cool and collected.

"Well, you should know me, cuz I'm the only one around here who seems to be getting any chicks, you might need to take notes or somethin'"

The red echidna studied the blue, ego-filled idiot "Great, another punk." He said.

Sonic immediately jumped on this "What was that?"

"You heard me."

"No, no I don't believe I did."

"Alright, let me spell it out for you… YOU'RE A PUNK."

A crowd of people, having heard the latest insult, quickly gathered around the opposite colored duo, expecting (and hoping) for a fight.

Sonic glared at the red guy, hatefully. "What's your name…wait don't tell me, its Butt Lick isn't it?"

This, to Sonics pleasure, agitated the echidna to his core "No, in fact its not my name… my names Knuckles."

Sonic chuckled "Why's that? Is Butt Lick not an embarrassing enough name for ya?"

This hit the echidnas last nerve, hard "No," he said, grating his teeth. His left fist flew into the side of the over-egotistical hedgehogs face, knocking him to the ground as fast as the punch "THAT'S why."

The crowd was now laughing at him, even his co-admiring females. Sonics eyes darted to and fro, trying to think of something, he wasn't going to let this… buffoon make him the laughingstock of the whole summer…. He had it.

He turned back to the big idiot, who was having a pretty hardy laugh, himself. "STOP LAUGHING," Screamed the hedgehog in utter embarrassment and rage "Cuz you don't even wanna know what my name is."

Knuckles found this as a perfect opportunity to show off his quick-witted nature "What is it, 'Trips the happy spastic squirrel?"

Sonics blood was boiling so much that his fur actually became a dark purple. Now the crowd was laughing even more "NO," he screamed again. "The name is Sonic, Sonic the Hedgehog."

"Makes sense." Said the red one, chuckling.

Sonic didn't hesitate to ask. "Why's that?"

"Cuz whenever someone lightly taps you on the face, you hit the ground with a Sonic-boom…."

Sonic, however raged, wasn't really insulted by that stupid comment. "No… by the way that was dumb…" within a few milliseconds, dust was kicked up, and the blue hedgehog was gone, leaving Knuckles with his fists up in a defensive form.

He turned to someone in the crowd, fists still raised in preparation for an attack "where'd he go?" the person just shrugged, not knowing.

Then something unbelievably fast collided with Knuckles forehead, and he soared for a few feet before landing on the ground, face-first. He looked up to see if the attacker was in front of him, which he was… about four or five times, for there was a blue and red blur circling Knuckles on the inside ring of the crowd, creating a cyclone of massive amounts of dirt and dust, until a spiny silhouette appeared in the dust, with its arms crossed and its face raised in pride. Then the dust cleared, and the silhouette gained color, a pure blue, with red shoes.

"THAT'S why!" said the hedgehog proudly, grinning. The whole crowd was now cheering on the amazingly fast hedgehog for his speed, but also seemed to congratulate Knuckles for his strength.

Then the red echidna looked back up to the hedgehog to see an odd and unexpected sight. The blue blur was holding his hand out for support. Knuckles took the hand, and pulled, lifting himself off the ground.

"I gotta hand it to ya," said the blue hedgehog "No one's ever had that much stomach to take ME on like that."

The red echidna just stared at the egotistical hedgehog with an I-cant-believe-you-just-said-that face "Shut up."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Poor Little Miles Prower

A few minutes had passed and Sonic and Knuckles were now getting along a little better, that is, for people who had just tried to humiliate each other. And while Knuckles was talking with Sonic about who had really won the fight, something caught his keen violet eyes.

There was a young fox, maybe nine or ten years of age, sitting by himself on a bench, looking rather lonely. He had sky blue eyes, golden-yellow fur, three long bangs that came down over his face, and fuzzy cheeks and chest.

Knuckles, being the stand-up guy he was, didn't like to see people so lonely…looking so… left out. He walked over to the bench from the left side, not noticing Sonic playing his favorite game again. Once he reached it, he noticed that the young vulpine was holding a rather odd looking device in his hands, while Knuckles didn't really know what it was, it was clearly broken. The fox sighed sadly, and Knuckles saw it as a perfect opportunity to speak.

"Hi," said the red echidna in a friendly manner.

The fox jumped at Knuckles' voice and snapped his head in his direction; he studied Knuckles for a few seconds "Oh, I'll move."

Knuckles made an odd face "Uhhh, no that's alright"

"No, no, you can have the seat. I'll move."

"No, I'll stand…" with that Sonic curved around the other side of the bench.

"Heeeeeeeeeey." The hedgehog said in a Fonzy-like manner. The vulpine snapped his head in his direction, all his stuff was in his hands and ready to go.

He looked back and fourth from Sonic to Knuckles, with slight fear in his eyes. "You guys aren't…" he gulped loudly "Going to gang up on me, are you?"

Sonic cocked an eyebrow, and Knuckles looked evenly confused.

"Uhhh, no…we just want to talk." Knuckles said.

"Yeah," Sonic said "Tell us your name."

The foxes head drooped forward and to the right "I'd rather not."

Sonic was quick to answer this "Well, we could always gang up on you."

The fox gave a very shocked and terrified look, and Knuckles pounded Sonic in the arm.

"OW… I was just kidding." Sonic said, rubbing his arm

"I don't care," Knuckles said angrily. "Come on kid… just tell us your name."

The fox hesitated for a second, and then finally opened his mouth to speak "It's… Miles…Miles Prower."

"What?" Knuckles asked. Sonic burst into laughter at the name, rolling all over the ground, gripping his stomach. Miles however, was tearing up in the eyes.

"Oh, I knew it." He said, his voice shaking a bit.

Knuckles took his eyes off Sonic and snapped them in the kid's direction "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked

"Well, every time I say my name, people laugh at me for some reason, and make fun of me for it."

"Well than I guess that proves that some people," Knuckles pointed a thumb at Sonic "Are pretty stupid."

Sonic was too busy rolling and laughing his head off to notice "I GET IT," he screamed "MILES PROWER!"

Knuckles was getting annoyed with the hedgehog by now "WHAT exactly do you find so amusing about that name?"

Sonic finally stopped to talk to the irritated red one "You see, the kid must've seen me runnin' around a beetin' you down earlier, so he made up a fake name to compliment me. Miles Prower… Miles Per-Hour."

Miles looked up at Sonic, confused. He had never heard the comment before.

Knuckles was getting really annoyed now "That IS his real name, you idiot."

Sonic got a look of guilt and surprise on his face "Oh…well… I guess… I'll just stand over here then." And he moved himself behind the bench.

Knuckles sighed "Don't worry about him, he's just over egotistical." He said to the young fox.

Sonic turned around to look towards the back of the bench, then his face turned into one of shock "Knuckles… psst, come here."

Knuckles looked back at the hedgehog "Why?"

"Just do it." Sonic said, impatiently. Knuckles got up and walked over to where Sonic was standing, and followed Sonics finger as he pointed towards the lower part of the back of the bench.

Knuckles, being dense, wondered why he was curious about the back of the bench "What about it?"

"Dude, the kids got two tails."

Knuckles looked back, saw the tails, and a similar look crossed his face.

"I heard you," said the innocent voice of the fox, causing Sonic and Knuckles' heads to snap in his direction "It's ok though; no one just sees them like they're there like you guys are. People just call me a freak and make fun of me a lot for it."

Sonic looked back at Knuckles with guilt all over his face, and whispered directly into his ear "I feel sorry for the kid… why don't we hang out with him some? He doesn't really seem like a bad guy at all."

Knuckles looked back at Sonic with an impressed look on his face.

"What?" asked the hedgehog.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

A voice of angels and eyes of emeralds

A few hours had passed and Miles was getting warmed up to Sonic and Knuckles company, even if they fought every few minutes over the stupidest things.

Soon lunch bell rang and everyone was going to Cabin 5 (the auditorium) to eat. As soon as Sonic got into the line, he started cutting everyone he could as fast as he could.

"CUT, CUT, CUT…. Oh, don't you dare… don't… that's it now I HAVE to cut you. CUT CUT CUTCUTUCUTCUTCUTCUTCUT!" when the (apparently) starving hedgehog got to the front of the line, what was on the serving tray made him gasp in delighted surprise.

"Is this what you serve here?" he asked the cook hopefully.

"Yep." Said the cook, in a heavy southern accent.

"How often," he said, staring at the chili-dog in front of him.

"How often, what?"

"How often do you serve this delicacy?"

"Are you an idiot? Do you even know what this crap is made of?"

"YES," said the hedgehog angrily "And how dare you call cow anal, pig intestine and chicken foot CRAP! Disgusting creature."

The cook just shook his head and sighed at the pitifully stupid hedgehog.

Meanwhile, poor little Miles was having trouble NOT getting cut. He was already in the back part of the line, but that really didn't seem to stop anyone from cutting him. Ever few moments was cut off by another impatient, hungry kid trying to get their food before it was gone. He was getting shoved around for a long time. For about a minute the frantic cutting was going on, non stop. Shoving, pushing, and cursing. All of the previous words said were being done to the little fox, his own patience weaning. Until… nothing, the cutting had stopped. Miles got a bit of a smile cruising across his snow white muzzle. When he looked back to view the non-cutters, the smile soon faded, for there was no one behind the young kit. Yet, Miles remained patient, and simply waited as the almost impossibly long line seemed to get slowly smaller and smaller.

When he finally got to the serving area, all that was left (or was served) was a half-eaten chili-dog with a slightly molded bun, doubled with a few small lumps that shouldn't legally be called fries. The fox sighed "Well," he said patiently "it's better than nothing.

He went over to get some condiments and silverware, was picking up a fork, and something large hit him in the side, hard. His tray went flying everywhere, food splattered on the ground. Then a shove knocked Miles of his feet followed by a deep voice "Watch it freak!" it said. Miles turned to see a large bully standing where Miles was last. The bully grabbed nothing from the condiment and silverware table, clearly displaying the fact that he wasn't there for anything but bullying Miles "Next time, you'll watch it! Now pick up that tray!" the bully commanded. Miles did so, but not for the bully, it was just to clean up his mess respectfully.

Miles, now down spirited and angry at the same time, walked over to where Sonic and Knuckles were sitting. He took a seat next to Knuckles, across from Sonic.

"You shouldn't take crap like that, kid." Said sonic, eating a bite of his chili-dog.

"I agree… sadly, I agree." Said Knuckles.

"You should've shown that big lowlife WHAT FER!"

Miles just felt even more ashamed of himself because he didn't do anything. His head drooped down, but then he started looking around the room curiously. His brilliant blue eyes stopped at something… something he liked.

A vixen, about the same age as he, was sitting at across the isle from him. She had maroon colored fur besides a black mask of fur that covered her face. The mask started at the tip of her pointy nose and went like a strip until it met the bottom of her brow, then the outside curved on both sides of her nose around the top of her eyelids and met perfectly with the single lash that she had on each side, while the center of the mask continued up like a stripe until it had come to the absolute center of her ears on the top of her head. Her ears were pointed at the end with a black tip. Her eyes were what really got Miles attention. They were a vibrant green, and shined brightly with the light.

Miles stared for the longest time….

"Ya like her?" asked Sonic suddenly. Miles head whipped around and his eyes met Sonics for a moment, then his head just drooped forward.

"Hey, whoever said that you weren't aloud to look at certain people?" asked the hedgehog, a bit agitated.

"Yeah," agreed Knuckles "I never really got that rule."

"So… Do you?" Sonic asked the little kit again, curious.

"I…well, I guess… maybe a…" Miles stuttered, unsure of what to think. But Sonic cut him off.

"C'mon kid it's a YES or NO question." He said impatiently.

"Yes." Said Miles, a bit annoyed.

"And you want her to like ya back?" Sonic asked coolly. Miles just nodded.

"Alright, then… I'll give ya some advice."

Knuckles put his hand over his face in shame "Oh no."

"Oh YES!" said Sonic, clearly annoyed by the echidna already, then he tuned back to Miles. "Listen kid, if ya want a girl to like ya, what ya gotta do is just walk up behind 'em, give 'em a little tap… I mean on the butt, then run away, got it?"

Knuckles shook his head at Sonic, and then turned to Miles "Don't listen to him, he's…" then he was cut off by Sonic.

"HEY!" said the blue bombshell "I don't believe I was talking to you, I believe I was talking to the kid. Which is the reason I'm not talking you is cuz I'm talking to the kid. Another reason why I'm not talking to you but I'm talking to the kid is cuz I don't like you, but I like the kid. So, I'm talking to the kid. OK. Alright. I'm done." Said the hedgehog quickly to get his anger off.

"Alright, HITCH… I'll let ya work your magic." Said Knuckles.

"Thank you…" he trailed off a bit, pensive… "Ah… Demonstration. Watch me, kid." And Sonic got up, walked backwards and mouthed out the steps as he was executing them, all the while looking at Miles to make sure he was watching. When he reached the second step, he tapped someone randomly on the buttocks area, and then quickly executed the third step, running back to the table.

"Now, don't run off too fast kid, or they might not see you. I've done that before…. Now, who'd I get?" he said, turning his head back to where he was when he executed the second step, and his face melted into one of sheer horror as a big female walrus was blushing and smiling at him, waving bashfully. Sonic then turned around, looking down, thinking about what he'd just done, then looked up at Miles "Ok… Bad example." He said, shakily.

Knuckles burst into a hard laugh, which angered Sonic.

"SHUT UP… Like you could come up with anything better."

"Actually I could, and I already did."

"Let's hear it then." Sonic said, foot tapping angrily under the table.

Knuckles turned back to Miles "Listen, the only way your ever really gonna get a girl to like you is to flirt,"

"Pshhh, you've got to be kidding me…. You're not really listening to this crap are ya kid?"

"Sonic, shut up. You had your chance and you blew it."

"Not as bad as you're gonna blow yours."

"Guys…" Miles said, timidly "I think I'll just… go over and ask if I can sit by her… and talk if she says yes."

Knuckles opened his mouth to suggest something different, and then his eyes looked upwards, thinking. Sonic was giving an impressed look to the kid.

"That sounds good doesn't it?" Knuckles asked, now turned back to Sonic.

"Yeah, sounds alright… go for it, kid."

"Ok…" said the kit "wish me luck."

Miles got up and started walking across the isle towards the maroon beauty. Time seamed to crawl on with one arm as Miles stared and thought to himself as he walked _Ok Miles… you can do this… its just a girl, and you only want to sit by her… no problem…. Except, you like this girl and you don't want to blow it…Stop thinking like that, or you WILL blow it._

After what seemed like forever, Miles had reached the table where she was sitting. He was across from her.

He gulped loudly, and his palms were sweating… "Uhhh… ex… excuse me?" she looked up, the emeralds that seemed trapped in her eyes locked on his "Yes?" said a sweet voice that seemed like a beautiful chorus to Miles, which he assumed belonged to her.

"Umm…I was Gulp just wondering if… if this seat was taken?"

"No," said the beauty again "Go ahead."

Miles was so in love with her voice that he almost didn't catch what she had really said, but luckily he did and he sat down.

Meanwhile, Sonic and Knuckles were watching the kid.

"Hmm." Said Knuckles "better than I expected."

"Yeah," agreed Sonic "I was afraid he'd slip and fall or something."

"…That's not funny." Said Knuckles, a bit of agitation in his voice.

"It wasn't supposed to be."

Back at the table where Miles was, a long silence was ensuing. Miles turned out to be brave enough to break the silence "So, uhhh… what's… your name?" he asked.

"Sidney," she said, looking at him again… then staring "What's yours, cutie?" she asked with a flirtatious, yet still innocent and sweet, tone that could only belong to a girl of her age.

The comment made Miles blush fiercely "I'm…Miles." He'd never felt this feeling before…. It felt like a bunch of butterflies were flying around in his stomach.

"Tell me Miles," Said the emerald-eyed Sidney again "Has anyone ever called you cute before?"

"Uhhh…" Miles really didn't know what to say… how could she have known this "No… no one, why?"

"Because you're blushing." Her sweet voice said again, now creating a bit of a giggle as Miles started to feel his cheeks for heat.

Sonic watched, then let out a chuckle "He… seems like he's got a way with her…." Knuckles was too busy eating his chili dog before it got cold. Then Sonic saw something. "Oh no." was all he could get out as he saw the big bully who pushed Miles around before was now heading in his direction again.

"So…have you ever really talked to a girl before?" asked Sidney, really curious and interested in Miles. But before he could answer the big guy came up and knocked Miles off the end of the table.

"HEY!" Sidney barked.

"Was that freak botherin' you?" asked the bully.

"NO… and why did you call him a freak? Just because he has two tails? I was actually enjoying his company, and now I'm despising yours." Miles turned, still on the ground, worried about Sidney after she had said this. But it wasn't enough for the defensive vixen. "In fact, I think his tails make him look cuter… and guess what, FAT is not CUTE. So I think you're just jealous of him… FREAK"

"Oh, no" Miles said to himself, feeling helpless.

Sonic stood up "Why that little… big… huge…." Then he picked up his half eaten chili-dog, took one last bite "Bon voyage, comrade." And threw it at the back of the bullies head.

"Why I aughta…" started the bully, cracking his knuckles, scaring Sidney out of her wits. But was cut off when something plopped against the back of his head. He turned "WHO DID THAT!" he asked, enraged. He saw Sonic pointing at Knuckles and whistling to himself.

The bully stormed over to the tough echidna, not knowing what he was going to get into.

Knuckles, who was now finished with his chili-dog (leaving no evidence supporting that he hadn't thrown it.), saw the big shadow of the bully hovering next to him. And without looking up, he asked "Is there a problem?"

"You know dang right there's a problem." Said the bully.

Knuckles turned "I'm sorry I don't… hey… why is there chili in your hair?"

The bully fumed, and swung his fist at Knuckles face's current position, but missed as the agile echidna ducked. Then the bully struck again, forward, trying to hit Knuckles strait in the face. This was child's play to Knuckles though, who had leaned back to avoid the punch, then swung his body around and planted both fists into the bullies side, making him wince in pain. Then Knuckles shot a fist upward, the spines on his gloves colliding hard with the bullies chin, sending him flying a few feet then hitting the tiled floor with astounding force, making the table shake.

"WHOA!" Sonic said, shocked "I'm pretty sure a bomb just went off… you need to lose some weight, pal."

Miles saw Sidney give him her hand, and grabbed it for a bit of support.

"Are they your friends?" she asked, referring to Sonic and Knuckles.

"Well… now they are." Miles said.

Just then a whistle blew, and the camp counselor stormed in; he was an old human with jet-black goggles on, a large, orange handlebar mustache, and a very odd shaped body (some would say an egg). He was (coincidently) named Mr. Eggman.

Knuckles snapped to attention, recognizing the authority the man had.

"Uhhh, dude… what're you doing?" asked Sonic.

"I'm standing to attention, respectfully."

"Yeah I can see that, but why?"

"He has authority."

When he reached the area he had been informed was where a fight was going on, he studied it. "WHAT is the meaning of this?" the bully started to answer, he was still on the ground.

"Sir… it was…" he started to raise a shaky fist at Knuckles, who gave a threatening look and clenched his fists. So, the bully searched for a new blame-ee. And he found Miles "HIM! Yeah he's the one who did this."

With that, Eggman walked over to Miles and grabbed his arm, dragging him off before Sidney could say something.

Knuckles face was twitching. "Did I do what I think I just did…."

Sonic looked at him "Well, it kinda looked like… no…. I think you just sold the kid out."

"I was afraid you'd say that."

"Well, its true… hang on I got an idea."

"Please god, don't let it be stupid" Knuckles begged.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

In the Office of Mr. Eggman

Mr. Eggman had opened the door to his office with Miles still in his grasp and walked in. He shoved Miles into a chair opposite his desk, nearly making the young boy topple over. It hurt Miles, but he didn't show it.

"Let me ask you some simple questions Mr." he paused, waiting for Miles name. Miles was opening his mouth to answer when the large, egg-shaped man cut him off "SPEAK… What is your NAME?"

Miles answered quickly this time "Miles Prower."

"Right… Mr. Prower, I want to know, first, why you seem to not respect our food products, I had seen the mess up front and automatically assumed it was of your making."

Miles really didn't know how to answer this… if he told the truth, it only meant pain from the bully's fist for him… but if he lied, he'd be getting himself in trouble. He always thought like this, putting what WOULD happen before making any rash decisions. He decided that pain was worse "Yes… I am responsible for that mess."

"Why would you do that I wonder?"

"Because my food was spoiled, and I didn't want any of it."

"Yes… spoiled, which you obviously are…. Spoiled rotten little brat."

Miles drooped his head forward at this, ashamed now of himself, but there was no going back. "Yes sir… my parents… give me everything that I want." This of course was not true, but he wanted to get out of here as soon as possible.

"Absolutely right… I should sue your parents for not making a better example for you…. Well, here, young Mr. Prower, I give discipline, and I give it…" he was cut off by a knock on the window disturbed his talk with Miles.

Miles looked up to the window, for he was the only one who could see it at that angle, and saw Sonic. He was mouthing out something that looked like 'Cut his head off' and was making a motion that resembled slitting a throat across his own.

Mr. Eggman looked around to see through the window, but there was nothing there. But he was sure something had been there a split second earlier…. "Stay here, boy!" he barked at Miles.

"Yes sir." Said Miles, gently, drooping his head down again. Once Eggman had left, he started looking around the office. Lots of pictures, about 15 or 16, all of them were hanging off the wall. Most of them were high-altitude shots that looked down on Mobius from above… but there was one picture that really caught his eye; it looked about thirty years old, and a family picture. There was a man that looked about how old Mr. Eggman was today, then Eggman himself, though much younger and had a crew cut on his head (orange hair), and was the only one in the picture that wasn't smiling. Then there was the prettiest human that Miles had ever laid eyes on… she had long flowing blonde hair, a nice soft face, and big pretty blue eyes. She was standing next to (and hugging) a black hedgehog, about Sonics age, and he had red tips at the end of his quills, which were pointed upwards. Despite his dark appearance, he seemed to be the only one, besides the girl, in the picture that seemed to be genuinely happy, his smile said it all.

"YOU! Young hedgehog!" screamed Eggman towards Sonic.

"Yeah, boss?" asked Sonic, with an undeniable tone of sarcasm in his voice.

"Were you the one that disturbed my conversation with Mr. Prower earlier?"

Sonic looked towards the small cabin that was his office, faking a shocked look very well, then looked back at Eggman wearing the same face "No…. Why would such an upstanding person such as me even think about taking you from your conversation with that young boy?"

"Well, I saw something blue wisp by the window before… are there any more blue Mobian in this facility?"

"I'm not sure sir… but I think me and my friend back there…" he pointed a thumb towards Knuckles who waved with both hands on cue and screamed 'HELLO' from about 20 yards away "have something to say in defense of young Prower."

"And how is that?"

Sonic then explained everything that had happened, only half truthfully though, leaving all the parts that DID involve him and Knuckles.

"Oh… I see… well then I have no choice but to release Mr. Prower."

"A wise decision, boss." Sonic said, sarcastically again. Somehow it seemed that this Mr. Eggman was really deaf towards sarcasm, because he just walked off, unaffected.

"Did it work?" Knuckles asked.

"Yep… but that's the last time I pull your butt from the fire, got it?"

"Sure."

Miles was still studying the office when Eggman came back in, somewhat different. He was calmer than he had been when he left.

"Mr. Prower…" he finally said "It seems I have misjudged you… you should thank the blue hedgehog for saving your skin for today."

With this, Miles looked out the window to see Sonic again, who winked at him. Miles smiled, knowing that he'd be there for him.

"Mr. Prower?"

"Yes sir, I know… I will." Then something on Eggmans desk caught Miles' eye. "Sir… is that a B-97 Model: Jupiter Magcam?"

Eggman looked at the small, odd device, knowing what Miles was talking about. "Yes… it is."

"That would explain all these High-altitude shots then."

"Yes I used that camera to take them… beautiful planet, Mobius."

"Agreed…"

"But the camera has been out of commission for a while now; I haven't been able to use it in months. After I replaced the bolts it never seemed to work again."

"What size of bolts did you use?"

"Eight point five's… why?"

"That explains a lot," Miles said, now studying the object "You should use 8.0's… they're the only size that will work with these models."

"Oh… well thank you for that Mr. Prower… you may leave."

Miles placed the object back on the desk and walked out the door….

Eggman then lifted the object into his hands, stared at it a while in what seemed like disbelief… then he grinned… evilly.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Sonics trouble with Women

Miles walked out the door of the office, with a look of relief on his face.

Sonic sighed, in relief as well "Oh, thank god… it worked."

Knuckles gave a confused look to Sonic "I thought you'd already told me it worked."

"Yeah, but I wasn't absolutely sure at that point."

"So… you lied to me?"

"Yeah, pretty much." Knuckles hit him hard in the arm for this one. "OW… hey, I told the truth there."

They started walking off; Miles was going somewhere else though. He was just wandering off a bit… thinking about Sidney.

"OOMPH." Said a voice in front of him, he had bumped into a full grown vixen with a massive tail. She had blue eyes for her head, and a lot of blue shaded hair, so much that it actually pushed her ears (which seemed rather big) down. She had a button nose which balanced a small, kind of sexy, pair of glasses; which in turn, stood only halfway in front of the blue eyes. Her fur had a tanned color. She looked down at the small vulpine. "Oh… sorry." She said, but as she passed she winced, trying to remember something "Wait…_two tails._" She thought.

She turned to look at the fox "Are you Miles?" she asked, then Miles, who had been on his way as well, turned.

"Yes…" he said, curious as to how this, rather foxy, vixen had known him.

She walked back to him, leaned down to meat his height and shook his hand "My sister was right… you are cute."

Miles gave her a confused look, while blushing.

"OH, sorry… I'm Sidney's older sister. My name is Angel."

"Angel…" he repeated, then swallowed his shyness for a sly comment "Seems to fit."

She looked at him, curious "Why's that?"

"Well… you look like one." He said… trying to be sly, but his blush proved that he wasn't used to being like that.

"Oh, how sweet." She said "My sister was right on about you…. Oh, I have to go now; I forgot I have a class now. I'm late for it, I'll see you later." She said and ran off, her large tail swinging as she went.

Sonic suddenly appeared behind Miles and whistled in admiration of the vixens backside "Hang on a second…" he said suddenly and ran up to Angel and played his game again, but before he could execute the last step, her tail swung around and met his neck, then wrapped around it. "Holy crap!" Sonic choked as she lifted him off the ground with her tail and looked at him through the small glasses she wore.

"You must be Sonic. Sidney told me about you, too. Unfortunately, for both you and me," she tightened her tail around his neck "she was right." Then she dropped him, letting him gasp for air, and walked off.

She had the quickest reflexes Miles had ever seen. Sonic scampered back to his friends now frightened of the blue haired fox.

"She's freaking crazy!" he said. Then he got up and turned around, but by the time he got halfway around and bumped into someone else, and a purse hit the ground, flinging things everywhere.

"Oh, deer, I'm sorry." Said the pink hedgehog, leaning down to pick up her stuff.

"No that's ok, I'm a bit clumsy." Admitted Sonic.

"Yeah, but that was my fault." She said, looking up to see Sonics eyes which were looking at her too. And for the slightest moment… Sonic felt as if he'd stumble and fall right into the jade colored sea that was her eyes.

After Sonic had helped her pick up all her stuff, she thanked him and started walking off. But then Sonic noticed a loose rose laying where all here stuff had previously been. He picked it up, assuming it was hers, walked up and tapped her on the shoulder. "Hey… you dropped this." He said, smiling in a friendly manner.

"Oh…" she said in a bit of surprise, and then started studying the flower "This isn't mine." She said, making Sonic realize a horrible truth… he had just given her a flower. "Thanks though," she said, putting it in her well-groomed quills, under her barrette. "What's your name?" she asked.

"I'm Sonic." He said, for the first time in his life though, he felt shy when he said it. She stuck out her hand and he took it.

"I'm Amy, Amy Rose." She said "Pleasure to meet you."

"Yeah it is," Sonic mumbled, daydreaming.

Then someone called Amy's name from behind her "Coming!" she screamed back "I gotta go, see you later."

"Yeah… I sure hope so." Sonic mumbled again.

"Yep…" said a familiar deep voice, which belonged to Knuckles "Walk up… Tap them on the butt… Run away…. Flirting never works" he said in a very sarcastic voice.

"Hey, man" Sonic started, using his back-to-normal ego "I was just showing the kid that I am particularly attractive, it doesn't really matter what I do. I always get the girl to fall head over heals for me…." As if on cue, a very angry (and to Sonic, familiar) feminine voice started yelling from behind Sonic, making him wince.

The teenage chipmunk started storming over to her blue target "SONIC… MAURICE… HEDGEHOG!" she screamed.

"Oh, crap she's using my full name I must be in trouble." he said, still wincing.

"Your names Maurice?" Knuckles asked.

"Shut up." Sonic whispered angrily. Then turned with a very nervous look on his face. "Hi." He said stupidly, before a small, brown hand swiped him across the face, making a loud smacking sound.

Sonic turned around with his hand clasped on his now red cheek "Was that necessary?"

"Yes, Sonic, it was," said the fiery chipmunk.

"Why?" he asked, expecting another slap.

She pulled a brown bag off her shoulder, and then out of the bag she pulled a pair of severely torn up blue boots.

Sonic gasped in surprise and fear, but hid it with shock "I'm Shocked," he said, lying horribly now "How did this…" but he was cut off by the angry female.

"DON'T… give me that crap, Sonic." She said, trembling with anger, her fists locked to her side, her brilliant, calm blue eyes now fiery with rage.

"Ok, I can explain," Sonic said, desperately trying to think of a way out of this "My dog…" but he was cut off again.

"You don't have a dog." She said.

"My… CA…" but was cut off yet again by her angry, yet still somehow smooth voice.

"You don't have a cat…" she said, rage rising even higher. She started speaking again before Sonic could even manage to make one of his vocal chords move "you don't have a lizard, a snake, a bird… not even a fish, Sonic… time to step up to the plate, and take the ball to the head." She said… grinning widely with success.

"I'll make it up to you…" he said quickly "I'll buy you a new pair…" he looked down to see that she was still wearing a pair of blue leather boots "ok, you've got a new pair… uhhh" seeing no way out, he started to bite his lip in another desperate attempt to find an excuse… but couldn't find one. So, he started sobbing dryly, in fear "I'm really sorry" the 'sorry' was extended by more sobs that sounded like hehehehe.

"Sorry… SORRY? SONIC, I AM SICK AND TIRED OF ALL YOUR EXCUSES! You know what though, I'm sorry too… sorry that I ever dated you, sorry that I ever trusted you with my boots, cuz you said you were gonna get them fixed. BUT WHAT DO YOU DO INSTEAD?" she asked, giving him time to answer this time.

"I try to run in them." He said, head drooping forward now.

"YOU TRY TO… to…." She then looked beyond Sonic, where the other two were standing, sweating nervously "Uhhh… Sonic… who are they?" she asked.

Sonic looked back "Oh… they're my friends."

"Why didn't you introduce me?" she asked, with a smile on her face now.

"Cuz you were too busy slapping me." He reminded her.

"Oh, right… sorry" she said, her natural sweet, smooth voice returning to her.

She then walked over to Knuckles, who was now calm, trying to act cool.

"Hi…" she stuck out her hand for him to shake, when she saw the size of his fists when he grabbed her hand, she gawked slightly "I'm… uhhh… Sally Acorn."

"The names Knuckles, sweetheart." He said slyly, then winked, making her blush lightly. He then let go, somehow making Sally's hand feel much colder.

She ignored the feeling, and looked down to see the young golden vulpine that was hiding behind Knuckles leg.

"Aww, well hi, cutie-pie. What's your name?" she asked the timid fox, with a new burst of sweetness.

He simply started moving back further behind Knuckles. "Shy, huh? Well you don't have to worry about me, I don't bite."

"Yeah right." Sonic muttered under his breath.

"I meant I don't bite nice guys." She told both Sonic and the fox. "C'mon, little guy, what's your name?"

"Miles." Said the vulpine, shyly, starting to come out of his poor hiding spot.

"Miles, huh?" she asked, grinning friendlily. "Well, I don't have a cooking partner for baking class in a couple of hours… you wouldn't mind being my partner would you?"

Miles shook his head, showing that he really didn't mind, and smiled a little. He could tell he was going to like her.

"Ok… I'll look forward to it… see you there." She then leaned over and kissed him on the cheek lightly. Miles blushed and felt the kiss's landing spot as she walked away, hoping that the warmth it let off wouldn't go away, and smiled.

Sonic looked at both of the lover-boys with shock and slight envy in his eyes "How did you do it, Miles?" he asked.

"Do what?" he asked back, confused.

"Get kissed like that. I didn't get kissed on our first day of meeting."

"Well… she's nice…. I guess you really don't get on her good side often?"

"No I don't, if at all."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Baking Class

The bell had ringed again at 5 o'clock and Miles was headed off to Cabin 7, where he would bake with Sally. On the way there, he started talking with Sonic and Knuckles.

"So… Sonic… I'm just a bit curious as to how you and Sal broke up…."

"Ah, I knew it was coming from one of you two." He said, a bit annoyed, but sighed, showing that he was about to tell the story. "Ok… it was February 13…"

Knuckles gawked "Whoa, unlucky"

Sonic sighed again "Yeah, I know… it was a Friday, too. Well the previous year I hadn't gotten Sal anything for Valentines Day, only cuz I forgot all about it. I was gonna make it up to her that year, but… well… I got her chocolates… they were her favorite kind too, all coconut." He paused… letting them listen. "Then I was dashing my way to her house, through the forest… and I tripped, the chocolates went into a creak right in front of me, and got washed downstream."

"Why didn't you just grab them?" asked Miles.

"They were pretty far down in the water kid… and I hate water."

"Well I'd hate it too if it did that to me." Said Miles again.

"What'd you do after that?" asked Knuckles, who was pretty interested in this.

"The only thing I thought she'd believe… I wrote her a note and stuck it on the inside of the box… claiming that I had eaten them. I didn't give it to her personally though."

"Oh… did she buy it?"

"Well, yeah… she always said I was ignoring her… or something like that, heck I wasn't listening. And that was just the final straw for her."

"I think that was probably the furthest thing from smart I've ever heard." Miles said, stating the obvious.

"Yeah, I know that now… but I panicked, and she didn't know I hated water…. Do you really think she'd believe that I hated water?"

"No, I guess she wouldn't."

There was a long silence, besides a few sighs that came from both Sonic and Knuckles. Then something caught Miles eyes….

Sidney was walking with her sister, Angel towards Cabin 7. He started staring at Sidney… her eyes seemed to trap him again, even from this far away…. But she hadn't noticed he was there until they were finally walking into separate doors, where their eyes met for a split second. Then as they reached the other side of the doorways, they weren't looking at each other anymore, but both were blushing.

Sally looked over at Miles, who was doing exactly as he was told, stir two eggs and the butter together, adding milk randomly along the way, and make sure that the beater stayed on level 3… such a nice kid, and so smart, too. Then she looked over at the noises that were no doubt being created by Sonic and Knuckles.

Knuckles looked at his egg nemesis right in (what he assumed) what would be the eye "You ain't got nothin', you white chicken turd…. Is that right? Well, I got one question you gotta ask yourself… do you feel lucky… PUNK?" he said to it before shattering it over his head, over the mixing bowl of course _Wouldn't want to make a mess._ He thought.

Sonic stared at his bizarre partner… "Dude, you're weird." As if being sarcastic and hypocritical, Sonic threw the flour bag he was holding strait up into the air and shot to the ground "HIT THE DECK!" he screamed as the flour bag exploded when it hit his quills, making the white powder poof all over him.

Amy, who was across the room with her (current) boyfriend, watched Sonic in admiration… he looked so cute when he was acting stupid. She watched him get up and start laughing and pointing at Knuckles' forehead, which was covered with splattered yolk. He turned around, eyes closed in hysteria and nearly passed out from laughter, just when Sonic turned around, Knuckles pointed and burst out laughing at the hedgehogs now powder covered back. Amy giggled at both of them, mainly Sonic though for being so cute.

Sally just shook her head in utter expectancy, then turned towards Amy (who she didn't know personally yet) and immediately recognized the look in her eyes as she watched Sonic… she was in love, it was all over her. But then she turned her head to see the guy who was with her ask her why she was laughing at Sonic.

"Because I think he's funny." Amy told the orange-hued hedgehog.

"No, I know you like him. I always knew you'd do that crap to me."

"Todd, I just think he's funny." She lied "you just have to trust me a little more ok?" she put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"I don't know… you've been looking at a lot of guys lately…. I'm starting to wonder."

Sally watched in disgust of the false couple… well one of them at least. He was a jerk, no doubt about it; Sally had been with plenty before to know that, almost too obvious, fact. She watched the guy, who was now staring at the full-grown vixen with that little girl.

Angel, as if feeling the eyes watching her, turned directly in the direction of the orange hedgehog who was staring at her. He only flicked his eyebrows in that fashion that only meant trouble for her…and whoever was looking at her. She noticed that there was a female pink hedgehog with him… the pig; he was too busy staring at her to notice that his girlfriend was doing all the work. He then puckered his lips and made a smacking noise with them, disgusting Angel. She turned away, but still knew he was watching her.

She really hated to hurt people, but it seemed to be the only way to get her point across that she wasn't someone to fool with. She had demonstrated that with Sonic a few hours earlier. She thought that was a bit harsh, though, because she did see a good person under the solid emerald eyes he had. She knew it was still the only way to get her point across, and her sister had learned from her quickly.

Sally averted her eyes to the smaller one, seeing that the full-grown vixen was in no way interested in the hedge-pig. However, this smaller one was turning her head slightly, and using her brilliant green eyes to look directly at the golden two-tailed fox that was standing right by Sally.

She looked down at Miles, who was carefully measuring the milk to make sure it was perfect. She giggled a bit, thinking that he looked cute doing that tongue thing that little kids do when they try to concentrate.

"What?" he asked after she giggled at him.

"Nothing…." She said, still giggling. But then she thought, he had to have a personal life, and decided that that was the best way to start a conversation.

"So… Miles…" she said, pausing to make sure he was listening.

"Yeah?" he asked, now mixing all the ingredients together.

"Tell me a little about yourself." She said, preparing the cupcake papers in the holed pan. "Do you have any friends?" she asked, friendlily.

Miles sighed "Well no, besides Sonic, Knuckles, and you."

"None at school?" she asked, starting to feel that he'd never had a friend before this summer.

"No…everyone just makes fun of me, both for my tails and for my passion of mechanics."

"You're a mechanic?" she asked, stunned at the small boys intelligence. He nodded, as if it were really nothing. "What kind?"

"Well, I mostly make remote control planes, but I can do lots of other stuff… I've invented a couple things… like I'm working on a camera that can focus on a single object from miles away… though I'm not sure what the use of that would be."

"What's your IQ?" she asked, still stunned. He shook his head, showing that he didn't know.

"Well… off that subject. Do you… have a girlfriend?"she asked.

"No, I told you everyone makes fun of me." He said, sighing a bit.

"Even the girls?"

He nodded, wondering where she was getting at.

"Well that's not very lady-like." She said, putting her hands on her waist, shaking her head in shame. "Do you like anybody?"

Miles didn't answer this verbally, but he moved his eyes to look across the room at Sidney, who was putting her cupcakes in the oven.

Sally caught the quick move his pretty eyes did and shot hers in the direction he was facing, which was the little maroon vixen that was partnered with the full grown one. She smiled a little "Well, you could've fooled me twice about that."

"Why?" he asked.

"She's been looking over here a lot, so I'd say that she liked you."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The after-day thoughts

Sonic started towards the boy's cabin, Cabin 1, at about nine o'clock. He was pretty tired by then, with everything that had happened on his first day here….

His first day was pretty bad. Two major things happened and they were both possible candidates for the worst thing that happened during the summer, and one that severely damaged his ego. He got beat up by Knuckles, nearly annihilated by his EX (he thought he kind of deserved that though), and almost got killed AND got denied by that Angel chick.

But, good things happened as well. He made new friends, tried to help the kid with his woman problems, and helped the kid out of trouble. It felt good to do good to Sonic. Plus, he saw Amy looking at him during cooking class… and that guy she was with who was obviously her boyfriend. It didn't seem fair to him that SHE isn't aloud to laugh at someone, but HE is aloud to look at another girl's backside without her watching… Sonic had never done that before, even Sally had to admit that.

Miles looked down onto his bed in the boy's cabin. Small, dirty sheets, and barely enough fluff in his pillow to keep his head comfortable… in fact, he might as well have slept with a rock as his pillow. He sighed, knowing he shouldn't complain, and plopped down on his bed.

He just couldn't get her off his mind… no matter how hard he tried. That beautiful and shiny coat of maroon fur, those dazzling green eyes, the cute mask on her face, and her large soft tail (which was an obvious trait her and Angel shared) that he'd noticed while in the baking class… she was just so gorgeous to him.

Her voice was even playing around in his head, torturing him, but at the same time soothing him…. It was a confusing feeling, the feeling he'd had at lunch, the butterflies that he had supposedly eaten alive and had ended up in his stomach without wet wings flying around when her voice met his ears. But it felt good to him, not at all threatening or dangerous. It felt like he'd melt into a warm puddle, but at the same time, it also felt like he would live forever…. And it frustrated him not knowing what it was.

Suddenly his mind turned to the picture he'd seen in Mr. Eggmans office. That black hedgehog… who was he? Why were he and the girl the only ones truly smiling? Why did Mr. Eggman even have that picture if he wasn't smiling in it? There were too many questions flying through his head, and his eyes started to droop a bit, drowsy and exhausted from his full day. Soon darkness enclosed around him, his mind clouded, and his brain finally shut down, allowing him to sleep.

Angel looked down at her maroon sister, knowing what was on her mind. She decided not to mention it though; it would only anger Sidney, because she would deny the all-too-obvious fact that she liked Miles. Angel liked him too, in a friendly way. Angel had lied to the boy though, Sidney never talked about him very much, but it was pretty obvious that her sister had found her first crush in the form of the two tailed vulpine.

She thought a bit as they entered Cabin 2. Would Sidney mind if she asked her about him. Her instinct, and her past experiences, told her she would get angered. But she knew her sister very well, and she really wasn't uncomfortable talking about any subject. She decided to begin a conversation with her about the boy.

"Hey, Sid?" she asked, as they were crawling into their bunk-bed, still wondering if it was a good idea. But her sister looked down from the top bunk, her perked ears and bright eyes showing that she was listening. "What do you think of that Miles boy?"

Sidney's cheeks immediately reddened, she was stunned by her sister's sudden mind reading ability "OH… well, uhhh… he's nice."

Angel gave her sister a sly look as she put her glasses on the stool next to her "Nice as in…" she studied.

"Well… he's polite… well mannered… civilized… sweet…"

"Basically the opposite of that… blue pig he hangs around with right?" Angel said, mentally slapping herself for saying that so hoarsely. She knew the hedgehog was just too egotistical… he really wasn't a pig.

"Hey…Sonic's not that bad. He helped Miles out of trouble, and he saved me from getting whaled by that bully." She said, stating a good point as she always did in arguments.

"Well, that's true…. But we're getting off subject. What do you think of Miles?"

"I told you… he's nice." She said getting a bit irritated… she didn't know why though.

"Oh… there has to be more than that." Her sister said slyly.

Sidney's cheeks were now reaching the hue of a flamingo "Well… I uhhh… just…"

"Like him?" said Angel, rather cleverly finishing her sentence.

"NO!" Sidney nearly shouted, her cheeks nearly reaching the hue of her fur "He's just nice… that's all!"

"Sis, I've been in this little stage before, I know when a girl likes a boy… you really can't find a way around this one. Besides, if he were really just nice, why would your face resemble the color of a cherry right now?" she smiled widely, knowing that she'd won. If there was one thing, besides their large tails, that she and her sister were similar in, it was their way of standing a good argument.

"Well…" her eyes darted like green shooting stars this way and that, trying to think of something to say, however all that came out of her mouth was "OK, OK… he's cute! Alright, are you happy?"

"Well I knew that… but what I didn't know is how cute you think he is."

Sidney's cheeks were now getting an even darker red, if it were even possible "He's…" she winced a little "adorable. Ok, alright, goodnight Angel." She said, glad to get it off her chest.

Angel smiled, knowing that that wasn't all of it.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The midnight quarrel

Miles saw darkness; nothing could bee seen by his blue irises. "Hello!" he screamed into the nothingness of the dark area. His cry echoed into the distance, telling him he was in a large area, maybe an empty street. There was no answer from the pitch-black night. Then, sudden light, street lights, house lights on either side of him, porch lights. He was in the city; a bunch of houses surrounded him, which city he wasn't sure.

Then there were soft, subtle voices coming from one of the houses to his left. No, it was the one directly to his left. There was a woman's voice muttering something currently indistinct. His natural curiosity got the best of him, and he started slowly towards the house….

In the window was a full-grown vixen with a soft golden coat and hazel eyes, her smile was gentle and warm. Miles had never met her, but she seemed familiar to him. She had a bundle of something in her arms, and by the way she was rocking it back and forward he assumed it was a baby. She wasn't muttering anything, but she was humming beautifully, soft and gentle like her smile. Her baby was laying its head upon her chest, listening to her heartbeat, sound asleep. His fur was a soft golden like her mothers.

Miles smiled as he watched the happy scene, his tails twirling behind him. As if the vixen had just seen his tails spinning, she shot her head in his direction, worry in her beautiful hazel eyes. Miles started to back away, his smile quickly faded as everything went dark again….

"Ake up… reak" said an angry voice, deep and hoarse. Miles didn't hear what he had said very clearly, darkness was still around him. "I said, WAKE UP, FREAK!"

Miles eyes shot open to see the bully's angry face looking down on him. He sat up, eyes still wide, and tried to leap out of his bed. Before he could, though, one of the bully's massive arms pushed his hand into Miles' back in a fist, punching him to the ground.

Miles winced in pain as he lay there, then he felt one of the hands wrap around the back of his neck, then the bully yanked Miles up off his feet and shoved him into a wall, his fist now curled on the front of Miles' throat. He was at least a foot off the ground. Miles looked behind the bully to see his friends standing there, with equally angry faces on.

The bully reared his other massive fist, ready to plunge it into Miles stomach. Miles watched in horror as the bully's fist launched forward, colliding with Miles' lower torso, shoving air out of his nostrils and a pained grunt out of his mouth, then the others started advancing on him, from either side of the bully.

"Ready?" the bully asked his friends. They nodded and started to rear their fists back.

Then something miraculous happened, a blue spiny ball collided with the bully's back, and he arched back and screamed in pain, letting go of Miles. Then as the bully on the left looked back to see what it was, a massive white fist collided with his left cheek, it was connected with a red echidna with dreadlock-like spines.

"Knuckles!" Miles managed to gasp before he landed another punch into the left bully's face. Miles turned to see the ball start to unfold, revealing the blue hedgehog. "Sonic!" he screamed.

"No time for words now kid, RUN!" said Sonic, who was now working on the right bully. Who was swinging madly, but not blindly, at Sonic, but sonic dodged every one of them with incredible ease, leaving a blue blur whenever he made a move to avoid them.

Miles nodded, then started to get up and ran limply (because of the wound to his stomach) towards the cabin door, but something snagged Miles by the arm. Miles looked back to see the bully, fist raised and ready for an onslaught on Miles' face "You ain't gettin' away this time, freak!"

Miles struggled to get out of his grip, but it was no use. Then the bully's fist started to come down on Miles like a meteor. Miles put his hands up to try and lessen the blow, but the blow never happened. He opened one eye to see the bully's fist caught by a long, thick, golden-yellow tail that was wrapped around his arm tight. Miles soon realized that it was HIS tail that was holding back the bully's arm, and didn't realize that his tails were so strong. It didn't even seem like Miles was trying much.

The bully looked in surprise when Miles tail was pulling on his arm. Soon remembered that he had TWO arms, and he swung his other arm strait to the foxes face, but the other arm was snagged by the other tail. The bully looked to the other arm and found that he couldn't move either of them, couldn't even budge them.

Miles now saw what position he and the bully were in and took this to his advantage. Using the strength of his tails, he pulled himself up and kicked both of his legs into the bully's face, sending the bully backwards. Miles fell to the floor, but soon got up and continued running.

He couldn't believe what just happened; he had stopped a bully from hurting him. He grinned in satisfaction as he stepped outside, but his grin was cut short when something tripped him. Miles tumbled off the stoop of the cabin, and landed on the dirt ground, hard. He looked back to see the bully again, but now his face was bloodied up somewhat and he was even angrier than before.

The bully stormed up and pounded his feet against the ground as he approached Miles.

Miles thought for a second, if his tails could be strong enough to pull a bully's arm back with ease, how else might it affect his situation here? The bully was just a few feet away from Miles now when he decided. The 'miracle tails' started spinning while Miles back was still on the ground, kicking up some dust, and spinning the young vulpine a little while he twisted the tails. The dirt flung into the bully's eyes, momentarily blinding him.

Miles took this advantage to get up and try something else. He was very light for a fox; he was even a bit light for his age. He pushed himself up onto his feet and started twisting his tails around again, clearing the dust a bit. He started flying backwards and lifted off the ground, then tilted his body forward to maneuver.

He couldn't believe this. He saw the bully get about 1/16 of his size when he was still on the ground. He was FLYING!

Sonic looked down at his exhausted adversary. This was pathetic, Sonic wasn't even trying. He was just doing what he normally did, move fast. "Holy crap, you surprised me… I thought you were gonna do BETTER, scratch that, WAY BETTER than that mess you shouldn't even be able to legally call a fight."

With this the bully tried to make one final lash out at Sonic, but couldn't even get it as high as his knee, and passed out.

Sonic sighed and shook his head in disappointment. He looked over at Knuckles, who was pretty much doing the same thing; only his adversary was knocked out, not passed out. And he had bruises all over him. "That was way too easy… don't you think?" asked Knuckles.

"Yeah." Said Sonic, then he remembered… THE KID! He looked out the door, which was swung wide, to see the bully staggering around with his hands on his eyes, but he couldn't see Miles anywhere. "Where's the kid?" he asked Knuckles, who shook his head when he looked out. Then they both saw the bully look up.

"HEY! GET DOWN HERE, FREAK!" he screamed.

Sonic looked at Knuckles, eyes wide. Knuckles returned the look. But then both started towards the door, Sonic obviously way ahead of Knuckles. When Sonic got to where the bully was standing, he looked up to see the vulpine hovering 20 feet above the ground, looking down and laughing at the bully.

Sonics jaw dropped to what seemed like the ground, and then looked at the bully, wondering what he was seeing. But he saw that the bully wouldn't be much help, because he was giving the same expression. Then Knuckles fist slammed right into the back of the bully's head, knocking him out.

Miles floated gently to the ground, the rudder-like tails spinning slower and slower until they finally stopped when his feet touched the ground, letting him fall gently back to earth. Sonic and Knuckles were both giving him odd looks.

"Pinch me, Knuckles." Sonic said, his jaw still dropped in awe. Knuckles then landed a light punch on Sonics arm with his eyes still on Miles. "OW, I said PINCH me, not PUNCH me!"


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The early awakeners' explanation

Sally had to have heard wrong, she just HAD to. When she overheard the two vixens talking about Sonic helping the smaller one out of getting beat up, and helping little Miles out of trouble, she immediately shook it out of her head. Sonic wouldn't ever do that, not for anyone. At least, the Sonic she knew wouldn't. The Sonic she knew would've watched the bully pummel the girl, maybe wince a bit, but nothing more. The Sonic she knew wouldn't get an innocent boy out of trouble. He'd feel sorry, sure, but he wouldn't get him out. He just wouldn't, it wasn't possible.

He ate her gift, tore up her favorite boots, didn't remember her birthday, and didn't even listen to her. The Sonic she knew, the one she considered a lover for the first year and a half of their relationship, the one that spoiled their relationship to utter rotting, would NEVER go out of his way to help another Mobian for as long as he lived. He would be too busy looking in a mirror, eating chili-dogs (and other peoples chocolates), and being absolutely full of himself.

Though, she did have to admit… he could be really sweet if he wanted to be. Maybe that was it. Maybe he just wanted to be sweet that day, that's all. Tomorrow, he would return to his normal, jackass ways. But, why would anyone want to do that, help someone out of trouble just because they felt like it and then totally ignore, or worse, betray them the next day. She couldn't even see him doing that, it was way under even his low stoop.

Maybe he had changed… maybe she'd been too harsh or ignorant to realize that he had become a bit of a better person for the year they hadn't been together. She started thinking about that possibility. The vixen's had actually made her think about this, think about him…. Not only that, but in a completely different way than she had been for the past year. She decided that it was best to wait and see, it was already one o'clock in the morning, and she needed her sleep.

Morning's warmth began to finally fall upon the young vixens maroon fur, the sun sending a bright shine off her soft coat. As the light began to slowly fold over her face, her bright green eyes began to appear as her eyelids began to fold back, lifting the single lash she had on each eye to her brow. She yawned a bit before finally stretching her body's limbs around, including her thick tail.

She rubbed her eyes as she slid her legs over the side of her bunk and stared around the room lazily before yawning again. She looked down to see her older sister, who was still sleeping, and slid off the top bunk, falling to the ground. She didn't make a sound when she landed though, showing that she was quite stealthy.

"Going somewhere?" asked an all-too-familiar voice. Sidney winced and looked back at her sister, who was smiling with her eyes still closed. Her sapphire eyes then opened to see her maroon half-sister standing in front of her.

"Well, I was going to go get some breakfast. I tried not to wake you." She said, honestly.

"Ah, and I suspect you failed in that regard?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yes. But how did you know that I was here? I didn't make a sound." She said, curious to how her sister knew.

"True… but how many times to I have to tell you to curl your tail up?" she asked, stating that Sidney's tail had brushed against her face.

Sidney looked back at her tail, which was limp on the ground "Not once more." She said, sighing but smiled at her sister.

"You said that last time."

"I know. But this time I'm serious."

"You said that last time, too." Angel said, giggling.  
Sidney just sighed and continued on "I'll be back in about thirty minutes" she said.

"I know you will…" Angel said.

"How?" asked Sidney.

"Because…" she put her glasses on and slipped on her vest "I'm going with you."

Sidney giggled and started walking over sleeping-bagged bodies with agile ease. Then she laid eyes on that chipmunk that was helping Miles at baking class, but continued walking. She and her sister slipped out the door stealthily, not making a noise.

Cabin 5 was nearly empty at that point, only a few boys were sitting there, one Sidney recognized… the bully. He and two other boys she assumed were his goons or something were talking to that Mr. Eggman. The bully had a well-deserved cut on his upper lip. The others, besides a plethora of bruises on one, were unharmed.

Angel, having larger and more sensitive ears than her sister, was listening closely to the conversation.

"Yes, I assumed that you boys were in some sort of quarrel, but I want to know who all was involved." Asked Eggman, in an interrogation kind of way.

"Well, Miles Prower was the one who started the fight." Said the bully, making Angel scoff, knowing that was a lie. "He ambushed me while I was sleeping. Me and the others were trying to defend ourselves when the blue hedgehog and the echidna with gloves showed up and started fighting with us." Another lie… this wasn't going to end well for that poor little fox.

Sidney saw her sister scoff in anger and wondered what they were talking about as she got her biscuits and gravy. She started worrying, knowing her sister scoffed at lies and nothing much more. "What is it?" she asked, brows tilting up in a worried manner.

Angel looked down to her sister "They're trying to get Miles, Sonic, and Knuckles in trouble. They're telling the counselor that they started a fight with them last night. I'm not sure if it'll work, the bully's been caught by Eggman before. Those others though, they could be of some use to him as leverage, as eyewitnesses. He's smart for a bully, when it comes to lying."

This worried Sidney even more; she didn't want to see Miles get in trouble. Not again… that sweet little boy wouldn't hurt a fly.

"What's wrong sis? Worried that your 'foxy boy' might get into trouble?" Angel asked slyly, teasing her sister to blush-point.

"NO! I just… I know he wouldn't do anything like that… and if they get away with this, it's going to ruin their reputation." She said, making a good point and some much-needed leverage out of this embarrassing moment.

"I see." She said, forking a pancake out of the tin buffet tray. She loved pancakes, so she got two more, licking her lips. She then grabbed the syrup and poured a hefty amount onto the flat breakfast cakes.

They both went over to sit down and then saw that the bully, his thugs, and Eggman had all left the room. Then some more boys came into the room… well one wasn't even seeable until he stopped dashing as Angel's tail stuck out to trip him as he ran by.

"NO RUNNING INSIDE!" she screamed, scaring the poor blue-boy out of his wits. "I'm sorry, there's a rule against yelling as well, so I'm being hypocritical." She said, forgiving the hedgehog. Sonic just stared at her, eyes still wide. "… well, go on. Get your breakfast." She said, shooing him off to the buffet line.

Sidney giggled as Sonic lifted his foot up to run to the buffet, but then set it down again and merely walked over.

"Oh, and hurry back. I need to talk to you." She said gently to the hedgehog. But loud enough for the others, who were just passing by, to hear. "All three of you." She said to them.

When Sonic sat down, plate full of all different kinds of food, he looked at Angel with a confused look on his face. "So, what's up?" he asked.

Angel only answered when the others sat down; Miles across from Sidney (right of Sonic), Sonic across from Angel, and Knuckles diagonal from her. "What happened in the boy's cabin last night?" she asked with a very serious tone in her voice.

"You're talking about the fight?" asked Knuckles.

"Yes."

"Those bully's were gonna beet me up," Said Miles sweetly, then continued "Sonic and Knuckles showed up and saved me." He said, that ever-innocent voice now yawning from exhaustion. It made Sidney giggle a bit.

"That's what I thought happened." Said Angel.

"Why did you need to know?" asked Sonic, curious.

"Because those… selfish imbeciles had lied to Mr. Eggman. Saying that you had tried to hurt them and they were trying to defend themselves."

"Why would Eggman trust him anymore?" asked Knuckles.

"Because he is using the other two as eyewitnesses. They're probably going to look for you when everyone wakes up." Said Angel again, using the same explanation she gave her sister.

"Clever…" said Miles "What do you think we should do?" he asked.

"All you can do is wait I'm afraid, I was giving you a warning. I can't help you out of this"

There was a long silence as the group finished their breakfast.

"Well," said Sonic, now full. "Thanks Angel-face. We owe you one."

At the word Angel-face, Angel gave Sonic a glare.

_Speaking of angel-face…_ Miles thought, now looking at Sidney, who was still finishing her food.

Sidney felt his eyes on her, she really didn't mind though. She thought his eyes were gorgeous. They were her favorite color, a light sky-blue. She then looked up to see his eyes finally. They locked on hers for a few moments, each one staring and admiring the beauty of their brilliant iris's.

"Ahem." Sonic said, interrupting their admiration. Their heads shot to his direction. "Well, we better get going. Thanks again Angel."

"No problem." She said, now smiling slyly at Sidney, making her blush.

"What?" she asked after the boys left "He has pretty eyes."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

False Interrogation

Everyone was waking up, and Miles was getting a bit cautious. His eyes darting in every possible direction, his ears trying to find any noise of Eggman, his heart raced and thumped like thunder inside his chest. His mind, however, was somewhere else; somewhere he thought he'd never be… somewhere he thought only existed in dreams.

He felt a light tap on his shoulder and spun around, yelping a bit. "Oh… it's only you, Sal."  
Sally looked a bit shocked herself by Miles' sudden reaction. "Yeah… it's just me…. Why are you being all jumpy about it?"

"Well… Sonic, Knuckles and I are…" he paused a moment, wondering how to put it, but could only come up with one thing "in trouble." He said, rather bluntly.

Sally raised both her eyebrows in interest "Oho, how so?" she asked, thinking it had to have something to do with Sonic.

Miles looked up at her curiously, then answered "Well, I was being attacked by some bullies and Sonic and Knuckles came to help me."

Sally looked a bit confused at that explanation… why would that get them in trouble? As if reading her mind, Miles answered this question with stunning timing.

"Well, the bullies went to Mr. Eggman and told him that it was me that started beating up on the leader and Sonic and Knuckles came to help me beat them up."

Sally looked at Miles, now understanding the situation, and nodded accordingly. She thought a bit… Sonic… he helped Miles from getting pummeled? She had barely known Miles for half a day, but she already knew that this sweet little kid wouldn't lie, not even his life depended on it. So… he HAS gotten better… she couldn't believe it.

"Sally?" said a sweet, kid-like voice that she already knew the source of.

"Yes Miles?" she asked, her voice trailing as she continued to stare off into space, still wondering.

Miles started walking to where her face was looking, hoping she'd see him in the corner of her eye, tilting his head slightly and smiling a bit. He looked to where she was staring. Then he snapped his fingers to get her attention, making a confused look.

She shot her gaze in the snaps direction "Oh, sorry… I was…" she trailed off, not knowing how to put it. "Daydreaming…." She said.

Miles just looked at her with his head cocked a bit; his ears flopped a little as a result. He dismissed the thought, thinking it was nothing.

A few minutes later, Sally had left to go eat some breakfast and Sidney was now watching him and his surroundings closely. She was so worried about him that she almost didn't care about what Angel would say… almost.

She watched as his cute, big ears twitched at every sound that alerted him, his gorgeous baby-blues darting here and there, his tails twitching in response….

_STOP IT!_ She said to herself, knowing that she'd most definitely get some teasing from Angel if she kept watching him. She moved her head away, now angry at herself for nearly stalking him. But… she couldn't help it… it was like she HAD to look at him. He was just so cute….

She had to shake him out of her mind again. The presence he had on her brain was becoming a bit of a nuisance… so was her sisters teasing.

"Awwwww, look at my pretty little sister and her darling kitsune." Blurted her 17 year old half-sister's voice from behind her. Sidney could actually feel the heat in her cheeks, not only from the embarrassment, but her anger only added to the hue of the fur on her muzzle.

"SHUT UP ANGEL!" she screamed, spinning almost on a dime and shouting with all the strength her powerful lungs could muster.

"Why should I?" she asked, giving a chibi-face "It's working anyway." She said, pointing her finger towards Sidney teasingly.

Sidney pouted a bit, but soon realized that she was only feeding Angels teasing attitude… she was getting very frequent with it lately. Then she thought of something so devious, so maniacally evil… she had to say it "Well at least I don't mutter in my sleep about Knuckles 'big, luscious, red lips'." She said, glaring accordingly.

"Who does that?" Angel asked, seriously wondering what she meant.

"You do." Sidney said, grinning evilly.

"OH… oh, dear." Angel blushed madly "That must've been the dream that I had last night… I couldn't remember it."

Sidney sweatdropped, knowing this wasn't a quality burn. GREAT, now she had nothing as a good comeback…. Even if it was a lie.

"Uhhh… sis?" Angel said, pointing in Miles direction.

"Wha…" then Sidney remembered. MILES! She spun around, her pupils dilated when she saw the little fox being dragged off by Mr. Eggman "Oh, No." was all that she managed.

"Come with me Mr. Prower." Said Eggman as he came up behind the two-tailed kit and dragged him off.

Miles almost forgot what he was being dragged off for. He soon remembered, just as Eggman shoved him into his office for the second time in the last twenty-four hours.

Eggman sat down on the opposite side of the desk, and sighed a bit "Mr. Prower, this is the second time you've been in my office for good reason. You do know that?"

"Yes sir." Miles said, his head drooping.

"Do you know why you are here?"

"This is about the fight?" Miles asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yes… but I know that it was not you that conjured up that little mess."

Miles looked up, wondering how he could've known "Sir?" he asked simply.

"Yes, I knew those fools wouldn't get away with that…. You can fool some of the people all of the time, all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all the people all of the time. Remember that young Prower."

Miles grinned at his sudden luck "I will, sir."

Eggman grinned a bit "What I really dragged you in here for is that I need some information."

"On what?"

Eggman hesitated "Construction purposes… you see, were going to build a new… playground in the southeast corner of the camp, and I need to know what kind of drill would be able to dig 300 feet underground without having to worry about roots or rocks or anything like that."

Miles cocked his head to one side "Why would you need to dig three hundred feet underground?"

Eggman had to think of something quick "Well… it has to be sturdy enough to be able to hold a 600 foot slide, yes?"

Miles jaw dropped to the ground "S… Six hundred feet? Why?"

Eggman thought of something… a bit clever really quick "I had heard of you and your friends extraordinary abilities, so I designed it for good use."

"Wow…. I guess that's alright."

"I need the model of the drill first in order to accomplish this feat."

"OH, right. The best one I can think of is a M-98T."

"M-98T… curses… I don't have that one. I must go to the closest city this weekend to get that model." Eggman said, conjuring. Then he looked at Miles again "Tell your friends that you 'took the heat' for them."

"I can leave?"

"Yes, you may go." Said Eggman.

"Uhhh, ok then."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Left in charge

"He what?" Sonic couldn't believe it; Eggman was leaving for the weekend. Plus he told Miles to say that he took the heat for Sonic and Knuckles.

"Yeah, that's what he said." Miles answered, still not believing their lucky break.

"Whoa… so what's he going to do with us?" Knuckles asked Miles, seriously wondering.

"I really have no clue…. He might just leave us… I think he's crazy."

"He might leave SOMEONE in charge… might." Sonic suggested, thinking that what he just said sounded a lot smarter when he thought of it.

"Yeah right, dude." Said Knuckles, knowing how stupid it was "Like he would ever…"

Just then a voice that sounded somewhat familiar interrupted him "Hey guys." Said Angel, who was with her sister, as usual.

"Hey, Angel." They all said in unison, followed by Miles confirming Sidney's presence, as she did his.

"What happened Miles?" Asked Angel, her voice changing with her curiosity, as well as her sympathy for the little fox "Me and Sidney saw you get taken away by Eggman, then you got out a few minutes later."

Miles wasn't very hesitant about an answer, but he was delayed by a quick admiral look at Sidney "He knew it wasn't us, but he wanted me in there anyway to give him a model for a drill

"Huh… so he didn't fall for it. He's smarter than he looks." Angel commented. She really thought he'd fall for it.

"No… I'm surprised, too." Sidney's sweet voice said, nearly entrancing Miles again. She looked at him, trying to lock on his eyes just as he turned away; making her sigh a little… he just had the prettiest eyes.

"So what's the story now?" Angel asked him.

"Well, he's gonna be gone all weekend is what he said, just to get that drill." Miles informed her.

"Yeah, and we're wondering what he's gonna do with the campers." Added Sonic, noting what Miles had missed.

"Hmmm…" Angel thought for a bit, and then it hit her "He's going to leave someone in charge. Most likely he's going to trust the oldest…" she slowly turned her head towards Knuckles "and most respectful to him to watch over the camp while he's gone."

"Respectful?" Knuckles asked.

"Yes, you've shown him that you know that he's in authority, and that you respect his authority. If anyone is going to be watching over the camp, its you."

Knuckles grinned, his pride swelling "Right… so I get to boss you guys around right?"

"Righteous…" he turned to Sonic and grinned mischievously "YOU! Get over here and let me hit you!"

"No!" screamed Sonic.

"I SAID HERE, MERE MORTAL!"

"But when did I ever say that I respected your authority?" he asked, grinning in satisfaction.

"Oh, that's detention."

"Sweet, no classes."

"It's going on your permanent record! You'll never get a job."

"Great, no work."

"Would you like to be expelled?"

"BOYS!" Screamed Angel, getting their attention. Their heads snapped to her, confirming it "Knuckles, you're not in charge YET! And Sonic, you need to respect people a little more."

"I Agree!" said the familiar voice of Sally Acorn.

Angel looked at the chipmunk, not knowing who she was "And who might you be?" she asked.

"The names Sally, Sally Acorn." She glanced her eyes at Sonic "I'm his ex-girlfriend."

Angel looked to where her eyes glanced, then looked back at her "Oh, really?" Angel said, lifting her eyebrows.

"Yes… and he's my ex for good reason." She said, glaring at Sonic.

"I can't imagine why…" said Angel, her voice oozing with sarcasm.

After a while, it seemed like what Angel had predicted would never come to pass. Maybe it was just a guess, maybe he'd just leave them there. Knuckles sighed at the thought. He thought it would bring true satisfaction to see Sonic at his mercy for a whole weekend….

"Excuse me, Echidna." Said a strangely familiar voice. It didn't take Knuckles long to place it though, and he snapped to attention, putting a flat, extended hand to his forehead.

"MR. EGGMAN!" he barked, making a gruff face as he did so.

Eggman grinned "At ease." He said to the respectable echidna.

Knuckles followed orders as such and started wondering why Eggman was here. His question was soon answered.

"Mr.… Knuckles is it?"

"Yes, Sir." He said, as if he were a soldier.

"Knuckles, I need you to watch over the summer camp while I'm out for the weekend. Can you take the responsibility of doing that?"

Knuckles' eyes widened… was Angel psychic or something? "Sir… I'll do what I can, sir." He answered, like a soldier again.

"Good, now that that's over I guess I will leave the entire camp in your hands until I get back… don't fail me."

"YES SIR!"


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The Plan

Angel couldn't believe it… she called it right. Now this wasn't the first time she'd been right, but such a stretch as this was just blowing her mind. She wouldn't even bet on it. Knuckles WAS going to be in charge. The look on everyone's face when he had said he was actually going to be in charge was enough collateral to show that she heard right.

The awkward silence that had followed the gaping faces was soon broken by the blue hedgehog "Hmm…" he seemed to be thinking to himself, for he was rubbing his chin in that sort of matter. "So you're in charge?" he asked, slightly sarcastic.

"Yeah… why? Are you not looking forward to some torture?"

"No not really… I just thought of something." Sonic hesitated, waiting for someone to say it before he did. It was so obvious. After a while, some of them started shaking their heads at him, obviously not knowing. Sonic gawked and waved his hands up and down, palms up, as if egging them on to say something.

Sally caught what he was going to say, and her eyes widened with shock. She knew him the best out of anyone here, so she already knew "SONIC, No! You're not going to do that."

"Oh, C'mon Sal! It'll be fun…"

"NO, it won't!" she interrupted him. "Last time I had to clean up your mess."

Sonic hesitated "Yeah, but that crowd was huge. I didn't expect so many people to come."

Sally had to hand it to Sonic… he had some of the best excuses, some she couldn't even argue with. She remembered that night… it was pretty tragic.

"What are you guys talking about?" Miles asked.

"HE is talking about throwing a party." Sally said, quickly answering Miles' question.

Sonics head nodded fiercely "Yeah, doesn't it sound like a good idea?"

"I dunno." Knuckles said suspiciously "Sounds to me like your in for some trouble. Besides, if he comes back and the whole place is trashed so bad it looks like a tornado came through, guess who he'll kill." Knuckles then made a stern face towards Sonic, and without looking away, he pointed a thumb towards his chest, showing who he was talking about.

"Yeah, I know." Sonic said, unaffected "that's why it's the perfect plan! He can't blame me!" Sonic said, rather bluntly. This triggered a punch from Knuckles to his arm.

Sally scoffed "I can't believe you Sonic. You really haven't changed a bit."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" he asked, as he was rubbing his arm.

"Bad thing…" then she thought "Well, I did hear about you saving Miles last night, and helping him yesterday. I also heard about you saving miss…" she looked at Sidney, who answered with her name. "Sidney here from that bully. So… I don't know what to say really…. But so far, I haven't seen anything that proves that you've changed at all. So yeah, BAD thing." She said, and the whole group paused.

Sonic broke the silence, as usual "Ya know, you haven't changed one bit either Sal."

"Is THAT a good thing or a bad thing?"

Sonic raised his eyebrows "well, it's a bad thing when you're mad at me… but it's a good thing, scratch that, it's a very good thing when you walk away…." He said in that flirtatious tone he always had.

It took a while for the joke to seep into everyone's minds, and it got a well deserved laugh from everyone, save Sally, who scoffed again. She felt angered… but at the same time, couldn't help but feel a bit flattered. Her face turned a bright red, both from anger and embarrassment.

Sonics expression didn't change, his eyebrows were still as high as his forehead, and his toothless smile spread from ear to ear. It was quickly wiped off when Sally slapped him across the face.

"PERVERT!" she screamed at the hedgehog. The laughing stopped immediately and the noise was only kept alive by Sally's heavy, angered breathing. Her brilliant blues then started darting around; embarrassed at what just happened. "Oh… I'm sorry." She then just started walking away.

Sonic arched his neck after he got up from the slap, trying to get a good view of 'Sally' "Oh, that's it Sal, keep walkin'" he muttered, loud enough so that she and the others could hear. The whole gang burst out laughing. Sally blushed deeply and thought she would turn around and kill that blue pervert. But just as she started to turn, she thought… maybe she'd tease him a bit; show him what he lost.

She continued on walking, and flipped up her small tail to show him good bit of her backside, and looked back seductively.

Sonics jaw dropped and his eyes widened. Drool started pooling in his mouth.

"Just as I expected" Sally sighed, THEN she turned around and slapped Sonic again.

"OWWW" Sonic moaned "What'd I do?"

"You didn't change." She simply stated, and then walked off. Somehow, she felt disappointed in Sonic… that he hadn't become what she… hoped? No, she couldn't have been hoping that…. Could she? Could she have finally hoped something happened to him, something good? She had no interest in the hedgehog anymore that much was for sure, but she couldn't help but think… for the sake of others… he could at least try to not act like an ass when he was around her.

Everyone was silent for a while, until Angel finally suggested that she and Sidney should leave.

"Yeah, we should go…." Sidney repeated. She looked at Miles for a bit, who seemed to be studying Sonic's reaction to the slap. The kid was just too cute to ignore… "Hey, Miles, why don't you come with us?" OH NO! Did she do what she thought she did? She pretty much opened a door for Angel to blab on and tease her about what she just asked of him.

"Uhhh…" Miles couldn't believe his… was it luck? "Ok." Was all he managed to mutter before he could tell himself to say no.

"I still don't know about this." Knuckles said to Sonic. Everyone had found interest in something else now, so only him and Sonic were in the conversation.

"C'mon, dude. It's just a party for cryin' out loud." Sonic begged "I'll clean up everything! There won't be a speck left for Eggman to investigate."

"You'll clean everything?" Knuckles asked, still skeptical.

"Yep, down to the last drop of punch." Sonic said reassuringly.

"What do I get?" Knuckles said, raising an eyebrow in a slightly threatening matter.

"You get to be invited, but that's pretty obvious because everyone's going to be invited. Plus if Eggman does get mad at you, I'll step in and take the blame for ya." Sonic watched as the red echidna rubbed his chin, thinking about it.

"Alright…" he said, grinning "You get your party."

"WHOOOOOHOOO!" Sonic yelled at the top of his lungs. He then dashed off, leaving Knuckles with his arms crossed shamefully at the hedgehog's attitude. Knuckles wondered where he was going… but wherever it was, he needed Miles help apparently. He grabbed the kid, who was hanging out with Sidney and Angel, and dashed off to the boys' cabin again.

Sonic already had everything done, they'd been making invitations for only two hours, and they were already done. It really helped to have two people. He loved these kinds of parties.

"Alright… now all we have to do is hand 'em out." He told the two tailed kit with a wink.

"Hey… do I get one?" Miles asked. If so this would be the first party he'd ever been to, let alone invited to.

"You don't need one kid." Sonic said, grinning at the kid. "You're invited for sure!"

Miles smiled at this… he was invited to a party… this would be great.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

The preparation

Sonic was zooming around the camp so fast he barely even got the right invitations to the right people. They weren't too fancy, but they were done well enough so that every one was distinct in its own way. _That kid can work miracles._ He thought to himself.

After handing out several invitations, he started reading the one for Angel, then looked up and saw that he was coming up on the beautiful vixen, who had her back turned and was walking opposite of his direction. The only few ways he could recognize her were her big ears, her large tail and her dark blue hair. He stopped about 10 yards away from her silently. He started walking as slow as he could bear up to her.

Then he noticed something, she was talking to someone else. The other person's voice was pretty indistinct but he could somehow place it perfectly. It had the sweetest tone to it.

He kept his pace but planted his feet softer than he had before so not to disturb their conversation… he wanted to surprise Angel, he wanted her to notice that she couldn't trip him this time, because he was going to slow… perfect. He could prove that he didn't HAVE to run, so she didn't HAVE to trip him every time they met.

"Hello Sonic." She said without even turning her head. Sonic's jaw dropped and his eyebrow cocked in frustration and confusion. He wasn't making a noise as far as he could tell.

"Wha'… how… when…." He stuttered. She answered him with a smirk when she turned her head to view him.

"I heard you, I used my ears, and it was just about… when you stopped about thirty seconds ago." She giggled at her own comment along with the mysterious person she was talking to.

"Who are you talking to?" Sonic asked, knowing that his frustration wouldn't get anywhere with this ridiculously intelligent vixen.

"A delightful young girl… and I think you've met her, or at least that's what she tells me." She moved out of Sonic's view, showing a flamingo pink, red-dressed, female hedgehog of about 13 years.

"Amy!" Sonic said in a bit of surprise, but he realized now how he managed to place her voice so well.

"SONIIIC!" she screamed and leapt at him, grasping his torso in between her arms.

"HOLY…" Sonic managed to squeal before he was squeezed by the pink hedgehog. He then started choking out only half of what he was trying to say. Even though her grasp was tight and was getting significantly tighter (plus it was greatly uncomfortable), he couldn't help but feel slightly warm and comfortable in her grasp. He welcomed the "hug" and gently wrapped one arm around her.

Angel looked at the two of them, already knowing what was going on in both their minds, but she left it alone.

Amy looked up at Sonic and saw that his face was turning purple now, and realized that she was choking him. She immediately loosened her arms and locked them to her side "OH, dear, I'm so sorry. I just like hugging people."

"Yeah, I can tell." Sonic said, though not choking.

_Not just anyone though…._ Angel thought, smiling a bit. Then she thought a bit about Sonic's presence here. "What exactly were you doing sneaking up on me like that?" she asked.

"I was…" he searched his hands for the invitation…. Or was it invitations now? "Going to give you this." He handed the invitation to Angel, who tilted her head at it.

"Why does it say 'Angel-face' on it?" she asked hesitantly.

Sonic chuckled a bit "Oh, forgot to tell you. It's an alias party. Miles and I made up some cool names for almost everyone in the camp, excluding those stupid punk bullies."

"I see…."

Sonic grinned and looked down to the one he immediately recognized… Amy's invitation. He recognized not only for the alias he had given her, but also for the design of it. He handed it to Amy. "Oh, here's yours too." he said, and she took it when she saw the design that she absolutely adored. She gasped in delight and her lips parted as her jaw dropped, revealing an adorable, toothless, wide smile (think D).

"How did you know I liked pink?" she asked him excitedly.

Sonic took a glance at everything about her, her purse, her fur, her barrette etc. "Eh… just a hunch." He said, grinning widely at her pleased look.

Miles just sat there on the bed, in the boys' cabin, wondering how fast Sonic would be done with passing out the invitations. He rocked his feet back and forward patiently, wondering about things that have been happening.

What was that dream he had last night… he remembered it being clear as day… but he couldn't remember WHAT he had dreamt about. All he remembered was that he had learned something extraordinary last night.

He had the ability to fly; he finally was able to take to the skies… just like he always wanted. It was the reason he built remote control planes, the reason he made things that flew. He just wanted to get a piece of it, and by building them he thought he could get closer to that blue opposite ocean that he had nicknamed 'absolute freedom'. But he never dreamed that he would actually be able to do such a thing. Ironic that his eyes were the exact color of the skies.

"Hey…" said a sweet voice that Miles immediately recognized. He gazed up at Sidney as she stood in front of him. Did he drift off or was she just stealthy? It didn't matter to him right now.

She caught his eyes again… only this time there was no one to stop them from admiring and studying each others iris's fully. Unfortunately, he looked away… pity. She glided her way next to him on the bed and saw that there were several scraps of paper laying everywhere, as well as a few pens, markers and two pairs of scissors.

"Sonic and I were making invitations." Miles said to her, almost reading her mind.

"For the party…." She muttered. Miles glanced at her and nodded slightly.

Just then Miles noticed something "Wait… what're you doing in the boys' cabin?" he asked her.

"Eggman's gone, Miles. Plus it's only off limits after sunset."

"Oh, right." He said, thinking he could've punched himself for that.

Sidney thought of something… something she'd never thought of before. "Miles?" she asked softly. She then looked up to him, but didn't realize that at the same time, he was doing the same thing. Their eyes locked, each one seeming to gleam with its own spectacular beauty.

"Yes?" he asked, just as quiet and as soft as she had, almost feeling her in his own eyes.

"I…" she said simply, and found herself unable to say anything else. She felt herself getting closer to him, leaning in to where his face was. Much to her joy, he was doing the same. They seemed to get only millimeters closer for each moment that passed…. They became about six inches away from each others face before an unwelcome interruption.

"MILES?" He heard Knuckles' voice and his ears moved in the direction of the noise, then his head followed. He glanced back at Sidney, who was already looking down in… disappointment? "I better go…." He said.

She nodded "Okay… I'll see you later." He gave her one last look and was headed out the door.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Denial

It was about 6 o'clock now, and Knuckles walked toward the blue ego-sack with all of his strength pounding his feet into the ground, hoping it made him look threatening. This was too much… that stupid invitation Sonic dropped when he ran by was just so disgusting… so insulting that he couldn't bring himself to even stand it. It was vile, disrespectful and immature. He finally started to get within a few yards of the blue menace. He was just standing there, talking to that… Amy was it? It didn't matter to Knuckles now anyway. He was just totally ticked at him, and was probably going to beat him senseless. Miles had told him about the invitations, and now Sonic was going to pay for what he did to his.

"HEY!" the echidna found himself yelling. Sonic turned around as a result of the noise.

"He…" Sonic was going to say Hey, but was abruptly interrupted by Knuckles large, spiny fist in his face.

"DON'T ADDRESS ME!" Knuckles spat at him, then punched him again "You don't deserve to."

"What were those for?" Asked Sonic as he rubbed his face, which was now bleeding and bruised.

"The first one was for this." And he shoved the invitation in Sonics face. Sonics vision was blurred at first, then he saw the piece of parchment that Knuckles was holding in front of him.

**Invitation**

**To Knuckles**

**Party alias: Butt Lick**

Sonic immediately burst out laughing, causing the red echidna to swell in anger. "Dude, I'm sorry." Sonic said just as the echidna raised his fist again. "I just couldn't resist!" he exclaimed, chuckling again. But then he thought… that was the cause for the first punch… "Hey, what'd you punch me twice for?"

"Just cause you're an ass."

"Oh. Ok then." Sonic commented, rather indifferently. "Well, you're going to have to use that invitation to get in." The blue jester commented, shrugging his shoulders sarcastically. "Sorry dude, it just seemed to fit you."

Knuckles just glared at him, he wanted to go to the party, but not with this loathsome name. As if he had a choice, though.

Miles couldn't believe it… he was invited to a party, not only that, but he was actually GOING! He was so excited he could barely keep his legs from shaking. He wondered if Sidney was going to be there for some reason… _maybe it's just because she's so nice and easy to get along with._ He thought to himself, praying that he was right, that she would be there, and that they would stare at each others eyes again.

For the latter, he didn't know why he hoped that… he always hated mushy things in the past, so why was he starting to think about Sidney like that now? And the little incident they almost had in the boys' cabin a couple of hours ago… what was that all about?

He shook it off, thinking that he must've been seeing things. He was walking to cabin 5 now. That's where the party would take place. All the while it took him to get there he was thinking about Sidney… for some unknown reason that he couldn't find the answer of… he was actually looking forward to seeing her again. But every time that he did see her, he'd get that odd feeling in his stomach that he had felt when he first heard her voice… the butterflies in his stomach. There was no logical explanation that he could find of this… it was just that feeling. Not a threatening feeling, but not a very pleasant feeling all the same. It wasn't joy, or anger, or sadness, or confusion, or guilt, shame, happiness (though he did feel a bit happy) shyness, nausea, or even lightheadedness. It was just… "the feeling". It was the one thing he found himself straining his mind to understand in a long time.

He came up to the two bouncers who were standing in front of the line ready to take the next person. Miles gulped a bit at their size, remembering the bullies he used to get beat up by.

"Hold it." One of them said when he walked up, sticking his palm out, and Miles stopped in front of them. "Name, please." The other one said as he flipped through the list.

"Miles Prower." Said the fox, smiling friendlily.

The second bouncer looked through the list over and over again, the suspense was killing Miles. The bouncer then screwed up his face some when he stopped looking "Uhhh, I'm sorry sir. You're not on the list."

Miles face turned pale as a fishes belly, even his brilliant eyes were losing their sky-blue color "What? No, you don't understand, I'm a friend of Sonic's. He said I was invited."

"Do you have an invitation sir?" one of them asked defensively.

"Well… no, but Sonic invited me personally." His face started loosing its cheery glow even quicker than before.

"Do you have any proof of that?" the other asked sternly.

Miles eyes started to water… he couldn't believe what was happening. He didn't have an answer to that question, but he found himself trying to say something… he couldn't tell what though. He then found himself merely running back to the boys' cabin again, feeling the warm, familiar liquid flowing down his cheeks he knew as tears.

He'd been denied by them, shunned from the party, and lied to by Sonic. Just as he thought when he first got off his bus to get to this summer camp… there was no way in the world that anyone would ever accept him for who he is… not by what he looks like, or what his passions are, or by the way he looked at things. He was just a freak of nature to everyone and anyone… that was the way of it… and it would always be so.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"Tails"

Sonic arched his head over the crowd do try and find the little guy. He was seriously worried, he'd told him to come, and he knew Miles wouldn't turn his first party down, who would? When Sonic didn't see Miles anywhere in the crowd he was facing, he started snaking his way through the somewhat thick crowd, hoping to get at least a glimpse of him, so that he could feel that cooling sensation that was relief. But the sensation never came. He must've looked within a twenty foot radius by now, in the thickest crowd of people, but there was no sign, nay, not even a strand of his brilliant golden fur to show that he'd at least been here.

He stood on his toes to make a desperate look for him again, but again, nothing of him could be seen. Once he got clear of the biggest crowd, he started dashing around, leaving his defining blue blur wherever he went. He searched high and low, all the while calling out his name, hoping to get some answer. Once again, his hope was shattered when nothing but silence found his ears.

He started worrying worse now. What happened to him? Where did he go? More importantly though was why wasn't he here?

His head started darting here and there trying to find the little kit, his ears now straining for noise. Desperate, he found himself asking people where the young kit was, though all the people he had asked so far didn't know who he was talking about until he defined him as a "little kid with two tails". After he had defined them, however, they had said no and that they hadn't seen him.

He saw Knuckles and dashed towards the red echidna as fast and maneuverable as he could without hitting anybody. However, he had only gotten halfway there when his neck collided with something, or something collided with his neck, either one, all he knew is that it hurt, and it was now tightening.

"What did I tell you about running inside, blue boy?" Said a clear and soft voice that he already knew the starting point of… Angel.

This just didn't feel right to Angel, choking the hedgehog when he was in an obvious hurry. So with a doubtlessly pitiful move, she loosened her thick tail and let the hedgehog go "But don't let me catch you again, do you hear me?" she said, forgiving the hedgehog for the second time. He nodded, but didn't move. _Why doesn't he continue… _thought Angel.

"Have you seen Miles anywhere Angel?" he asked, worry clearly ragging his voice.

Angel thought, now that she noticed… she hadn't seen him at the party at all "No… I haven't." She said, confused with why he wouldn't be there.

Without a second glance, Sonic was off, running again. Angel sighed and mentally smacked herself for thinking he would actually listen to her in his state.

When Sonic reached Knuckles the words just shot out of his mouth faster than he could run (it sounded something like "Heknucklesyouseenmiles?")

Knuckles stared at him in some confusion "Any faster and you'll have to write it down." He said, rather seriously.

Sonic took a deep breath, then shot it out in a sigh, "Have you seen Miles anywhere?" he said, much slower and more understandable, but still quick and worried.

"No… nowhere." He turned around to look out the window he was standing by. "And for the record…" he started to say, but a rush of wind behind him told him that Sonic was already off somewhere else "Stop talking to yourself" he finished, referring to himself.

Sonics next interrogation act would be with Sally "Hey Sal, you seen Miles anywhere?"

Sally's sea-blue eyes darted around the room, finding no sign of him "No, I've been wondering about that as well. If you find him…" but before she could finish, he was off again.

As he ran by he spotted Sidney, who was sitting down with two girls he assumed were some new found 'girlfriends'. "Hey, Sid."

"Hey, Sonic." She said. One of the girls in the back was giggling at Sonic and waving shyly.

"Have you seen Miles anywhere?"

She sighed, disappointed that no one had seen him either "No, I haven't."

Sonic shook his head in frustration and headed out the front door as fast as his legs would take him (needless to say, he knocked a couple o people over just from the shockwave he created from it, plus a few chairs and tables.)

Miles was inside the boys' cabin, it had been about thirty minutes since his little denial, and only a few tears were left on his face, but his nose kept on sniffling back his shame. His head was lying on his pillow and he was over on his side. He didn't hate Sonic for this… but he was angry with himself for being so naïve to think that Sonic actually accepted him as a friend, not as a freak.

"Miles?" he heard the voice to someone he once called a friend at the door of the boys' cabin. Sonic approached and sat on the bed behind Miles' back, then put his hand on his shoulder "Oh thank goodness I found you. Why aren't you at the pa…"

Miles cut him off with a horse voice "Go away, Sonic." He said, moving his shoulder away from Sonics grasp. Sonic looked confused at his reaction.

"Hey… what's wrong, guy? You sick? Why aren't you at the party?"

"You know exactly what's wrong. You didn't invite me."

"I did too, I invited you personally." Sonic said, still confused at Miles' behavior.

"The bouncers and the list for the party guests seem to say different."

"The bouncers wouldn't let you in? That's impossible, I made the list myself…." Then it hit Sonic like a ton of bricks being shot out of a massive cannon. The invitations were a key role in who gets to go to the party… and he never gave Miles one. Sonic slapped himself on the forehead physically, and kicked himself mentally. He then chuckled… physically. "I'm such an idiot."

"What's so funny?" asked Miles, his voice still horse and angry at Sonic.

"Oh, man… I'm sorry, dude. I didn't give you an invitation because I thought you didn't need one." He chuckled again "But everyone needed one…."

Miles turned around and gave him a confused look, not knowing where he was going with this.

"It's an alias party… a nickname party. Each invitation had a nickname for everyone who was invited, and the ALIAS is on the list, not your real name. I made yours personally." He explained.

Miles eyes widened with excitement "You mean… I'm invited? I'm on the list?"

Sonic nodded "Yep! But I have to give you your alias first."

"What is it?"

"Well I was thinking about it for a long time, then I just looked at you and… it really fit."

"What really fit? What's my nickname?"

"Tails." Said Sonic simply.

At this Miles lunged out and grasped Sonic, hugging him happily. This was the happiest thing that had ever happened to him. He was glad he had misjudged Sonic earlier, because now he KNEW he had friends, and he was invited to a party. This night just couldn't get any better for the young two-tailed vulpine. "Thank you Sonic." He said, smiling.

Sonic rubbed the kids head "No problem."

Miles… Tails thought to himself again… this really could not, without any doubt in the world could get any better.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

The sorrows and joys that happen to A Rose

Sonic and Tails were walking back to Cabin 5 with a conversation still lingering invisibly in the air. The long silence was eerie and had truly begun getting on Sonics nerves. Then he thought of something to talk about… finally.

"Hey, Sidney seemed a bit disappointed that you weren't at the party, ya know."

Tails eyes darted to him, looking for any sign of him lying. He found none "Really?" he asked, not really knowing where he was getting at.

"Yeah… seemed like she wanted to talk to you."

"Hm…"

"So Sidney, who is this Miles guy that blue hotty was talking about?" asked one of Sidney's friends. The rest of them giggled. Sidney gave a smile to them.

"Well, he's about my age… he's got the softest golden fur I've ever seen… and these absolutely gorgeous blue eyes." with that, all the girls there made a loud aw that seemed to last for the longest time.

"He sounds adorable… but there's got to be something wrong with him." One of them said, Sidney cringed at this, somehow knowing that was coming.

"Well…" she started, knowing that what she was about to say may make her unpopular "He's…" she trailed off. She didn't want to start anything bad.

"Got two tails." Said someone from behind the group. Sidney could place the voice immediately. That sweet, innocent, warm, humble and kind voice that she knew belonged to her two tailed crush. They all turned to see young Mr. Prower standing there, his sky blues scanning the group, a warm smile stretching across his snow-white muzzle. "And what's wrong with that?" he stated, looking deeply into Sidney's eyes, piercing her with a feeling that she'd felt before, but was still new with. It was almost overwhelming as time slowed down, his warm and welcome smile making her feel safe… secure.

"EWWWW!" screamed one of the girls, suddenly frightening Tails "That… is… gross."

"What's gross?" Tails asked.

"You are! You're a freak, you have two tails… what's wrong with you?"

"Well… I uhhh…" but he was cut off by Sidney, who's voice had now become harsh and defensive.

"HEY!" she barked "Don't you dare make fun of him, he's got enough troubles with people as it is! Plus, it really doesn't matter if you think he's a freak, because I think he is one of the sweetest people I've ever met in my life, or will meet. So why don't you all just shut up and stop judging him on his appearance!" she was at boiling point with this, she couldn't believe how ignorant people could be.

Tails admired her defensive nature and was glad that she had used it now, it made him feel safer. "Thanks." He said, simply stating his gratitude.

"It's no problem…."

"Sorry Miles…." One of the girls said, drooping her head apologetically.

"Yeah… sorry." Said the others.

For the slightest moment, Tails thought Sidney was magic… she managed to get people to apologize to him. It had never happened to him before, but he didn't wade in the moment, he just acted natural "Hey, its ok. I've been through it." He said, shrugging it off and forgiving them.

"So, how did you get them?" One of the girls asked, now interested in him. Sidney smiled, knowing she'd accomplished her goal in trying to get them to stop being so shallow.

Angel was getting some punch out of the punch bowl, watching the incident with Miles and Sidney. Oh how proud she was of her sister. She smiled and nearly cried when Sidney stood up for the little kit.

Then she felt someone behind her with her tail… and she knew it wasn't someone who just wanted punch, because whoever it was was stroking her tail. It sent a slight chill up her spine. She turned to see who it was… and scoffed at the disgusting sight….

It was the orange hedgehog that was dating Amy. "What do you want you pig?" she asked him hatefully.

"Oh you know what I want…" he said, trying to be seductive. Alas though, the hardened Angel was unaffected by his poor attempt to woo her.

"Yes, I do, but I'm afraid you're not going to get any of what you want." She said, turning her back to get another glass of punch.

But suddenly she felt hands around her, and they twisted her around. Then she felt a hot surge of someone else's body heat in her lips. Her startled yelp was muffled by his mouth. She looked at the orange idiot in disgust and was hocking a loogie to spit in his distasteful, cheating mouth. She tried to separate from him, but he just kept coming. Soon Angel had tipped the cups on the table over. As if on cue, she heard a familiar voice coming from behind the orange hedgehog.

"Todd, there you are I was…" the sweet voice of Amy Rose stopped dead when she saw what was happening. Her lip started to tremble. She felt her eyes getting moist, then wet. What shocked her most is that she knew Todd had heard her, but he just didn't care. She put her hands to her mouth… then to her eyes to rid of the terrible image. She turned and shot off, the tears leaving a small river to follow her.

_THAT'S IT!_ Angel had noticed that he was standing on her tail, and had seen Amy run off. This was a big mistake on his idiotic part.

She pulled the muscles in her tail and flung lifted it up with astounding force and speed, sending the hedgehog soaring through the air.

As he fell, Angel grabbed hold of him (with her tail of course, how handy it was) around the neck. She quickly tightened it, showing her fury clearly through her sapphire blue eyes. Her face was strained to make the most hateful, annoyed, absolutely raging face she could possibly conjure.

"For your sake, you had better hope and pray that we never cross paths again… do you hear me clearly enough?" she asked him, tightening even more, hoping to break his loathsome neck.

He nodded, and Angel through him forward, watching him hit the ground with a loud BANG.

Sonic was walking towards the food table (which was in one of the corners) to get some chips. Doritos, his favorite chip. He moaned a little as the taste started engulfing his taste buds. Then he heard something… but he shrugged it off as a figment of his imagination. But then he heard it again, but clearer this time. It sounded like sobbing… whimpering.

He looked over in the corner and saw a bright pink, red dressed hedgehog sitting down with her head on her knees and her face buried in her arms, which were crossed over her kneecaps. Her body was jutting up and down in sync with her sobbing and crying.

"Amy?" Sonic asked, sympathy and sorrow swallowing him in this scene.

Her head looked up, tears were streaming out of both eyes like steady rivers. Her jade irises were flooded over with the water that was caused by sadness. She sniffled a bit "Oh, hi Sonic" she said in a horse voice.

"What's wrong?" he asked, worry clearly in his voice.

She sniffled a lot, then put her head back into her knees, sobbing an answer that was hardly understandable "Todd kissed Angel."

Sonics eyes widened, revealing his shock at the moment. "Hmm." Was all he could think to say.

Amy looked back up to him "Just leave me alone." She said, wanting to just cry and get it all out… but she knew that would never come. She put her head down on her knees again

Sonic moved the table out of the way and kneeled next to Amy "No way…." He said gently, wrapping his arm around her, giving her comfort. She gasped a bit at his sudden movement, and lifted her head up. "C'mon," he said with a bit of cheer in his voice, rubbing her opposite arm "Let's go get some punch."

He gently lifted her up, letting her support herself when she was halfway off the ground, but he still kept his arm around her.

He felt really sorry for the poor girl… she seemed too sweet to go through with that sort of thing. He poured her a glass, then handed it to her. She accepted it, but didn't drink any of it "Thanks…. I want to go outside." She said to him.

Sonic nodded, then they both headed out to an unused bench and sat down next to each other. Sonic had no idea why he still had his arm around Amy, maybe because she seemed so delicate and fragile. She started sobbing again, and fresh tears started flowing down her face.

Sonic felt a new wave of sorrow for her "Amy…please don't cry… I hate it when someone as cheerful and happy as you cries… it just… doesn't fit."

"I can't help it." She said, now looking at him, her eyebrows tilted up, then looked down again.

Sonic thought for a minute… should he? Yes, if it makes her feel better, he should. "I can…"

Amy looked back up at him "How?"

Sonic leaned in and parted his lips slightly to get a good lock. Their lips touched, and Amy's tears seemed to just stop at that very moment. The shock she had received from the kiss soon faded and she closed her eyes, now relaxed. She felt his arms scale her face, his thumb rubbing her cheek lightly. She pressed into him further, moving her lips accordingly and in sync with her jaw. The emotion poured into her as if the dam broke and flooded into a lake.

Then they parted, slowly but surely. Amy looked up at him, her sadness now gone. No evidence of her ever being sad in the first place was left except some freshly dried tears on her cheeks.

"Feel better?" Sonic asked her, with a smile on his face.

Amy nodded and smiled happily. Then she got up "I'm going to go inside now… ok?"

"Alright, take care." Sonic said happily to her as she walked off, then he smiled.

After a few moments he felt a slight pressure on his shoulder, then heard a sigh coming from it. He turned to see Sally, her arms crossed and her head resting on them, posted on his shoulder. She was smiling and giving him a look that pretty much spelled out 'that was really sweet of you.' Her sea blue eyes glinted a bit, happy about something.

"What?" Sonic asked her.

"You did change…." She said quietly, then gave him a small peck on the cheek.

After she left, Sonic leaned his head back, and swung his hands around to make a sort of pillow. He sighed and just watched the suns glow fade away from the sky.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Alone at last

Sidney's friends were getting really interested in Tails. They were asking him all sorts of questions. Some were idiotic to him, but he answered them anyway. When they asked him how he got his tails for example, he stated that it was because of a birth defect. But so far he didn't have a question he couldn't answer.

"What are your parents like?" asked one of them.

Now was the first time that he didn't know what to say, and it kind of nerve wracked him. He didn't remember his mother, who was no doubt the better of the two. His father was such a real jerk to him, that it was Tails' idea to go to summer camp (even though he was more of an indoor kid).

"Well… I didn't know my mom. My dad is a real jerk though… sent me to school one time when I had the flu just so he could go party somewhere." He sighed. "My father even thinks I'm a freak."

"Aw… that's so sad…." Said the one on his left "You really don't deserve that. Sid was right, you are pretty sweet."

This made Tails blush a little bit, his white muzzle now turning tickle-me-pink with this flattery. "Thanks, but I'm just doing what I feel is right."

"Even better." Said the one on his left, making everyone laugh a little bit.

Tails turned to his back-right to see Sidney sitting behind him, looking at him with those energetic eyes with an emotion he had not seen in her yet. Yet, like the butterfly feeling, it didn't seem threatening at all. In fact, it seemed comforting… warm and soft. He wanted to know what she was thinking now, more than ever. Suddenly her angelic voice broke the ice after she finally blinked a couple of times.

"Hey, Miles…" she was cut off by his own voice.

"It's Tails now."

"Right… uhhh…. Do you… wanna step outside with me?" she bit her lip a bit when she said this… the phrase just seemed to fall right out of her mouth.

Tails wanted this… he had been waiting for her to ask that very question for some reason he could not explain. Because of him wanting it, he was not about to decline "Sure." Was all he could think to say.

"Okay… let's go then." She said softly.

The girls turned to each other when Tails and Sidney left, knowing what was going on between them. They smiled gleefully and shrieked that girlish shriek they do when they know something's going on.

Tails and Sidney lay there in the grass, just admiring the newly appearing stars. Every once in a while, Sidney would look over to Tails and wonder about him a bit, and vice versa. When the other looked back at them though, they would turn around, as if neither of them were even looking at the other in the first place. For the longest time, the stars and the foxes were trading the young kits' attention.

The long silence wasn't disturbed for about half an hour, before Sidney broke the long thickening ice.

"The stars… they're so beautiful." She said, wanting to hear at least a small answer from his innocent voice.

Tails thought for a bit… this was a perfect opportunity to say something smooth… but his last time with Angel proved to be the not-so-great example of slyness he was looking for, so he decided to simply answer. "Yeah… really beautiful." He turned to her again, only to notice that she was doing the same thing, and their eyes locked for the slightest moment, but it seemed to last for hours… Tails never wanted it to end. But, alas, the eternal stare was broken when they both looked away and chuckled.

Another stare at the stars gathered both their attentions, then Sidney started to wonder how much he knew about stars… she had heard that Angels father had told her many stories about stars, but Sidney had never heard one herself. "So… Tails…?"

He responded immediately "Yeah?"

"Do you know anything about the constellations?"

"Yes…" he turned away, his attention towards the stars again, and pointed his gloved hand to the cosmos, his index finger extended, pointing towards the one constellation he knew about just by looking at its general position. "That there… that's Ursa Major. You might know it as 'The Big Dipper'."

Her attention was fully stolen by the golden kitsune, but at her angle she was unable to see what he was pointing at. She shuffled her body to move closer to him, her head positioned right next to his left arm so that she could see almost exactly what he was pointing at. She used her wanting to see the stars as an excuse to get closer to him. "Yeah, I've seen that before…. But why is it called Ursa Major?"

Tails noticed how close she was to him, but realized that it was the only way she could know what he was pointing at, so he shrugged it off as just that. "Well, the ancients used that name for it. The Ursa Major constellation has three more stars to it than the 'Big Dipper' constellation. Its called Ursa Major because the missing stars make it appear like a bear. Literally translated 'Ursa Major' means 'Big Bear'."

"Oh… that's interesting, I never knew that." She said, truthfully.

For the longest time they just laid there… her head resting on his shoulder a bit. Both of their pairs of eyes scanned the stars, now truly interested in them.

"TAILS!"

Tails heard Sonics voice coming from the cabin, screaming his nickname repeatedly. He sat up, his ears perked in the direction of the voice, his head soon following.

"I better go in…" he was cut off when Sidney's voice cut him off with a hushing noise. Her eyes glinted in the moonlight and it attracted Tails slightly. "Listen, you can come with me if…" he was cut off again by a single index finger to his lips, and then noticed the position they were in; her face was in front of his, her legs folded to one side of him.

Sidney wanted this moment _I should do it… I really should. I want to, I think he wants to… so why not?_ She thought, biting her lip.

In a lighting fast motion, she leaned forward, shocking Tails beyond belief, but her lips collided with his.

Tails leaned back, an obvious sign of his shock. His eyes shot wide open, darting around to see any sign of her pulling back. He found none. Her eyes were closed, but that did not phase her beauty one bit. _What is she doing? _He asked himself, but he already knew the answer; she was kissing him. _Well… I… I guess it's… good, if anything… why not?_

He leaned forward to her, moving his lips a little bit, his eyes were still a bit open. He was trying to get a good feel for it, and he leaned forward a little bit and moved his lips more and more once he found that feel. His eyes started drooping more, feeling more comfortable with her lips.

_YES! _Sidney was mentally celebrating this moment, loving every bit of his taste, his feel, his warm aura. The emotion that poured into her was substantial, it was enough to make her cry. This was her first kiss, but she couldn't think of any way it could've gotten any better. She could feel him moving around, trying to get a comfortable position. She didn't care about that much, she just cared that she was comfortable with him.

His tails started twirling around, and soon found their way around Sidney, their length just coming to an end when they started wrapping around her tail. She found her own tail wrapping around his right one as well.

Then they parted slowly, their lips now wet with each others saliva. Each one relished the moment that they shared. They felt comfortable with each other, secure.

"So… uhhh…" Tails started "I guess we could stay out here for another few hours…."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

The impatience of Sonic

Sonic was blazing around like lightning "TAILS!" he screamed, but to no avail, the young kit's voice wouldn't answer him. He had searched everywhere… surely he wouldn't have left the party, especially after he was there. It would be ludicrous to think that he would do that. So where was he? He was going frantic, did something happen? Was he ok? Did he get sick?

Sonic heard a cool and teasing voice over his right shoulder, seeming to know about his hysteria "Calm down, Sonic." Said the vixen he had come to know only as Angel.

He snapped around to face the voice, then sighed. "I dunno Angel… I just don't know what could've happened to him."

Angel understood what he was talking about, despite the lack of detail he put into the pronoun 'He'. "It's alright, I've seen him." She said calmly, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder.

Sonics eyes lit up "You have? WHERE!" he nearly shouted.

"Calm down," she said, suddenly forceful, but still somehow calm. She pushed his shoulder down with enough force to plant him on a seat that was behind him "He's outside."

"What's he doing out there?" he asked, now totally curious about the fox's location.

"THAT… is something you'll have to find out on your own, Mr. Hedgehog." She said in a knowing way.

Sonic sighed at her secrecy, and then started to wonder about what happened with Amy earlier. He couldn't have heard wrong "Amy told me that you kissed her boyfriend."

Angel smirked a bit at the comment "Correction, HE kissed ME; I didn't bother to even try for him. He wasn't worth the slightest attention." She looked down at the seated hedgehog and smiled slyly "I also know about your little move to comfort her."

Sonic had to think no more than a millisecond to know what Angel was talking about. "Oh, you mean when I kissed her." He said, rubbing the back of his head, a bit embarrassed. "You saw that, huh?"

"No, I didn't," Sonic raised an eyebrow at this comment, but the mystery was soon solved "She told me earlier… and how she broke up with him."

"Oh… makes sense, but she wasn't mad or anything?"

"She was at first, but I explained."

"I see…. What'd she tell you about the kiss?" he asked rather quickly, wanting to know if she thought he was good.

"Well… she said she felt right as rain again… then she said that it was really sweet of you to do that for her…"

Sonic, not having the longest of patience, couldn't stand it any longer "OK, C'mon! Did she say I was good or not?"

Angel gave him a bit of a glare, hating his unbearable patience length, but then sighed and gave him the answer "She said you were really good… she said you tempted her to go French style."

Sonics jaw dropped… she really thought he was a good kisser. His eyes widened at the thought. Now what would she think of him?

Tails just lay there with Sidney, her head resting on the left side of his fuzzy chest. His tails were wrapped around her protectively, like a blanket. Plus his left arm was scaled down hers and they grasped each other's backhand, and their fingers locked with each other at the knuckles. They both felt so comfortable like this… neither had done it before, but both felt that it was just… right.

Tails had noticed that she was quiet for some time, maybe an hour, and he had pretty much shown her every last constellation he knew up in the heavens and told her their story… she was a fast learner. Though he knew that the only constellation that could interest him more than any other was the sparkle she got in her energetic green eyes occasionally. To him, it resembled the entirety of the universe's strange (yet attractive and interesting) beauty, maybe even more.

He wasn't afraid to admit now… the feeling he had felt so many times before when she had been generous enough to even wander into his seemingly unworthy presence was undoubtedly the one thing he used to ignore… love.

He knew she felt it as well; SHE was the one that kissed HIM after all. Her smile that he could barely make out at this angle told him that she felt it; it was a comforted smile, a happy smile, a true smile… just like the one that the golden haired girl and the black hedgehog had shared in the picture. He guessed this was what a truly happy smile looked like.

He felt his face stretch apart, his lips folding into the arch that every Mobian, human being, and even some primitive animals instantly recognized as a smile… a true smile. He zoned off into space for a few minutes, relishing his happiness….

He quickly snapped back to reality when he caught a glimpse of the two emerald seas looking at him curiously. She would ask him a question now, he could feel it "What're you thinking about?" her sweet angelic voice asked him, now somehow teasing his ears as if he'd never heard such a beautiful melody.

He didn't answer her for some time… not knowing of exactly what to say. He quickly found something that had been stored away in his brain for a while as a use to answer her. He got up off the ground, supporting her up on her feet as well.

"C'mon… I want to show you something." He said to her softly, welcoming and warmly.

Her head tilted slightly as he made his way to the forest line, wondering what he wanted.

Tails soon got the impression that she wasn't following him, so he turned, his sky blue eyes glinting in anticipation "C'mon…."

She soon decided to trust him and went forth. She jogged lightly to the young kit, who was faced away, still moving towards the forest. When she got within arms length of him, he shot his arm out to grasp her hand, and gripped it tightly. It hurt her a little, and she showed it with a slight yelp.

Tails stopped dead in his tracks, and his face went pale. He spun to meet her eyes "I'm sorry… but you're going to have to hold on tight… I wouldn't want to drop you."

Sidney's face went confused immediately "What do you mean… drop me?"

Tails eyes glinted as he smiled at her slyly. He then put his hands into hers, wrapped his fingers around her palm, and started twirling his tails softly. The turning of the propeller like tails intensified and got stronger, but his warm smile never faded even slightly from his white muzzle. His eyes seemed to engulf Sidney entirely, she almost felt like she was floating….

She felt her feet gently lift off the ground and she shot her head downward to see that her feet were now dangling in the air, she looked up to see that Tails was now using his namesake to propel them upwards, but still his warm smile never faded.

Her brilliant green eyes looked into Tails' with shock and surprise… she obviously never even thought he could fly. But what he also saw in them was fear… fear that he might drop her, fear that she could slip and fall the twenty feet they had now escalated, fear that he wouldn't hold on. He sighed, now wanting her to simply trust his flight skill, his eyebrows tilted up in concern for her safety "Trust me… I won't let you fall." Just to make sure she'd believe him, he pulled her up to his chest and wrapped his arms around her tummy tight. He was a bit surprised to notice that she was now burying her head into his fuzz and grasping on to his chest tightly, like he had done her. Her eyes were closed, in fright that she might look down.

Then all of a sudden, she felt herself being set down on something carefully… so gentle was he that he would make sure he was slow enough to set her down. Her eyes slowly pulled open, not knowing where she was exactly. He set her down, allowing her to sit on something, what it was, she didn't know. She assumed it was the ground. She looked down to confirm this assumption only to realize that the ground was seventy feet below them.

He slowly stopped twisting his tails around and sat down on the branch next to her, she still had slight fear in her eyes, for she just now realized that they weren't on the ground. _Great… she's afraid of heights._ He thought, thinking her fear was of the height. He sighed and looked down, his feet dangling off the branch, ashamed that he hadn't asked her if she was acrophobic earlier.

But then he felt her familiar warmth surround him, her arms grabbing him around his fuzzy chest, the right side of her head snuggling with it. She sighed in happiness now, not fear "The moon… it's so pretty."

Tails looked up at the bright white sphere that was the full-moon, his eyes now soaked in its light. He never really understood how the moon gave off light without hurting peoples' eyes… it WAS using the sun's light after all.

Her hug got a bit snugger when she noticed he was admiring the moon now. She looked up into his beautiful baby blues again, and found her gaze swimming in them. Then he looked back, his eyes now sinking into hers as well. The baby blue and the energy green mixed so perfectly somehow, it was enough to make both of them lean in and kiss, which they did. This time it was a bit quicker, but both relished it like it was the sweetest mint or cupcake either of them had ever tasted. Neither even graced the fact that they could use their tongue.

When they broke, they noticed that they were still so close to each other that her eyelash could give him a butterfly kiss. Less than half a breath apart, and they remained like that for the longest time, as if somehow the end of eternity had finally reached them.

She snuggled against his chest again and admired the stars and the moon with him for about another hour, but how quickly that hour seemed to go by.

She yawned and Tails responded to it with a question "You wanna go back to your cabin, it's getting kinda late."

She really didn't want to leave him, but she nodded, her eyes sleepily covering half of the emeralds that seemed to be trapped in her eyes.

Tails lifted her legs into the crease of his left elbow and her back in his other, lifted her up, and twisted his tails together again. They flew gently over the tops of the trees and started descending.

She snuggled against his pillow-like chest again, and fell asleep before they were even halfway down the trees.

Tails noticed and put her on the grass gently, making sure not to make any sudden move that might stir her. The grass seemed to compliment her presence by acting as a slight cushion for her. She never stirred a muscle unless it was to make a natural move for comfort.

Tails yawned as he watched her… she was so beautiful. His vision got a bit blurry… but her image was so clear to him. He found himself now lying right next to her in his tiring form, but he didn't care. He laid his head back on the grass, and dozed off into the land of dreams, where he was comforted.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The second time…

That old dark street… Tails remembered it now. It wasn't that hard to recognize, but it was extremely difficult to see. He knew what was coming… the street would light up and there would be houses to his left and right.

Sure enough, the lights came on, revealing white, almost identical houses on either side of him. He heard the woman humming again, and turned towards her direction. Even though he hadn't truly heard her voice, it was a stunningly beautiful and comfortable hum. He imagined her voice would be just as beautiful.

He walked towards the white house to his left, now knowing what was to be seen in the window. And there she stood, her baby cradled in her arms, its eyes closed gently. Her smile was clearly visible in the light that the house gave off. Her beautiful hazel irises were halfway showing because her eyelids were drooped down, focusing only on her golden child.

Tails couldn't help but smile… this scene was just the happiest thing he'd seen in his life. It was so calm… so peaceful. Then her head darted in his direction, just as it had before. But his smile didn't fade this time, nor did he back away from the window.

"Hello." He said to her friendlily, wanting her to know that he wasn't a threat to her or her child. He was just there, at that time.

"Who are you?" she asked him, concern now flowing from her hazel eyes.

"My name's Tails, I wont hurt you or your baby." He informed her, his smile now as warm and as welcome as it had ever been. But her gaze did not fade; she was clearly not convinced at this.

"Why are you here?" she asked in an interrogative manner.

"…I honestly have no idea…. But I do know that you don't need to worry, your child is safe. I'm only nine years old anyway." He gave her more information about himself.

"Oh… well then I guess I shouldn't be so defensive now… I'm sorry." She said, her smile now returning to her face. "You must be freezing out there… let me get the door." Now that he thought about it… it was really cold out. She said to him, and put her baby down in a rocking bed and walked to the front door. She swung it open to see the young vulpine standing there, his eyes a pretty sky-blue color. "Would you like some tea, Tails?" she asked him.

Tails was just on the verge of answering 'yes' when he heard a slight yelp, which he was sure would turn into a loud scream, because it was cut off. Then something hit his face, hard.

Tails eyes shot open, now viewing the ground. His face hurt a lot. He groaned in pain, already knowing where the sucker-punch came from. His head darted to where he had last seen Sidney… she was gone. Where had she gone?

"WHERE IS SHE!" he hollered at the bully, who was standing to his right.

The bully simply answered by pointing a thumb over his shoulder. Tails saw her, she was being held by one of the other two bullies, her mouth covered by his large palm. She was struggling slightly, but every time she dared move a muscle, he would grip her tighter, hurting her.

Tails gritted his teeth at the disgusting image, then pushed himself up forcefully and started to stomp towards her, blind with his rage. He was pushed back by the strong arm of the main bully.

"YER STAYIN' RIGHT THERE!" he yelled, pushing his light body back with ease. "We're gonna square off, right here, right now. You ain't gonna run either."

Tails gritted his teeth even harder "Fine by me." He muttered angrily. He knew he didn't stand a chance against the behemoth; he was much older and far stronger than he was in most regards… save one.

The bully started moving towards Tails, cracking his knuckles loudly. He took a wild swing at Tails' head, wanting to end this quick. But Tails ducked, and nailed him in the side with his balled fist as hard as he could muster. He was sure he hit him in the kidney. The bully's reaction showed him that he had hit him where he intended. He arched his body to his left, showing clearly that he was trying to cushion the pain.

Tails parried back, ready for the next pathetic attempt to try and catch him.

"You little freak…" he said, frustrated and angry at the fox now. Once he was done with the pain, he started towards the young vulpine again. This time though, he was quick. He nailed Tails in the face so hard it brought him to the ground.

Sidney tried to scream out her lover's name, but the hand muffled her outburst of air and vocal patterns. She could only weep lightly; tears swam down her face in her sorrow for the fox's pain. She watched in horror as the bully's right leg came up on Tails' stomach, levitating him slightly before he hit the ground on his back. She winced at it all. Her eyes were now shut so tight that the eyelids were now folding over each other. She winced and whimpered slightly at each thud she heard coming from their direction.

The bully then grabbed Tails by his namesake and lifted him up until the upside-down kitsune's eyes met his.

Tails was now facing in Sidney's direction. Her eyes were shut tight, but somehow tears still managed to flow from them. _Good… I wouldn't want her to see this._ He thought to himself. Then the bully's fist reared back, ready to strike the vulpine into unconsciousness. Tails spotted something then, a large tail from behind the other bully's, swooping back and forth, obviously ready to pounce.

Angel's face then rose from under the position the large tail was at. Her glasses glinted brightly in the moonlight, which only amplified her raged appearance.

She tapped the bully that was holding Sidney on the shoulder. He turned and she pounced, her arm swooped across and planted a fist onto his face. He let go of her beloved half-sister immediately. He snapped back at her, but was only pushed back by a foot in his face right where the fist had landed only milliseconds ago, spinning him.

The main bully looked back at their position, not letting go of Tails. Tails saw the trump card to get out of this mess and took it. He swung himself with his tails up at the back of the head of the bully, landing both fists into it hard. Then he swung back as the bully's grip loosened and flipped around. The bully's face now shot in his direction to make sure he wasn't getting away. It was perfect timing, just as Tails conjoined fists came down on his face. He used the momentum of his aerial summersault to harden the blow. The bully was sent ground ward, unconscious.

The other bully turned to Angel, and immediately lashed out at her. His arm was caught short by something though, her tail. It wrapped around his arm tightly, almost enough to break it. He glared in pain at the arm, which now hurt like nothing he'd ever felt before. His attacker hadn't turned around; she was still watching the other bully carefully. He saw this as a perfect opportunity to strike her. He swung his fist at the back right side of her head, but was cut short again by her forearm.

The bully that was holding Sidney now got up and plunged a fist in Angel's direction. Angel saw it coming from a mile away and used the bully's arm that was behind her to lift herself in a backwards aerial loop, which she swung her legs just in time to plant them right into the back of the bully's head, right after he had taken the blow from the front by his companion. It slightly resembled a ping-pong ball being hit back and forth in two motions. She used the momentum of her latest hard kick to back flip in the air onto her feet with the utmost of grace. She was flawless in her movements.

The bully that was holding Sidney was now charging angrily at her, swinging his fists like a madman. Angel got back on her feet and was now dodging his actions far too easily to be even considered pathetically easy. But the last punch he delivered got pretty close to her face, but she managed to evade it and wrapped her tail around his arm. She flexed her tail muscles to swing the last bully into a summersault and he landed on the ground hard on his back. He arched his body in pain.

He was soon lifted by the neck by Angel's tail, and she turned him to face her. "If you ever… dare lay one hair on my sister again…" she tightened her tail forcefully, making sure she was getting her point across "and you will no doubt be in a very similar position as you are now." She said coolly, but still angrily. Her tail always was a good bribery tool. It worked its magic again here when the bully nodded, his face drowning in fear… the coward.

Angel flung him away the same she had Todd and walked back to her sister, who was now dumbstruck at what she just saw her sister accomplish. She looked up to see Tails giving the same reaction.

She giggled slightly at the young… couples now was it? "I AM a black belt you two…." She said, still giggling. Her giggling soon faded though when she remembered what she went over there to do "All you alright?" she asked, directing to them both.

Sidney nodded "Yeah… he hurt me a little bit before but now I'm ok."

Tails tried to nod as well, but his bruises stopped him halfway from executing his first motion.

"Oh, dear. Miles… sorry…. Tails, we need to go inside and patch you up a bit." he managed to nod slightly at this and started swaying a little, but Sidney caught him, supporting him on her shoulder.

"Thanks for fighting for me Tails; I know you didn't want to. That was really sweet of you." She said softly and pecked him on the cheek, causing a slight pink glow to erupt from his snow-white muzzle.

"Eh, it was nothing really." He said, trying to shrug it off.

Angel smiled at them… they were definitely a couple. "Alright, you two. Inside now."


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Patching up

"Oh, dear, Tails. Why do they always pick on the cute ones?" Sally asked Tails, causing his cheeks to flush pink. She smiled at his reaction "Well… they're probably jealous."

She was kneeled down to match his height patching up his scratches, while he was waiting patiently for her to finish in a chair. She pulled out the rubbing alcohol bottle that was in the aid kit that Amy had. The sight of it made Tails flinch a bit. Sally noticed it "Oh, don't worry… I'll only use a little… I promise." She said to him, smiling motherly at him.

Tails returned the smile and nodded "Alright…"

Sally poured only a few drops onto the cotton ball she had placed in her hand.

She placed it on the scrape of his left knee, and he hissed instantly at the stinging pain. But despite the hiss, Sally kept rubbing at it, making sure it was clean. He winced at the sting the rubbing alcohol created, but its stinging pain soon subsided.

Sonic watched on a Sally did her best to heal Tails up. The poor kid didn't deserve that, but at least the big butt-wipe got what he deserved. Plus, his stupid friends were holding Sidney back…. Then it hit him… Angel never said what they were doing out there… might as well ask.

"What were you guys doin' out there anyway?" Sonic directed his curiosity at the two young foxes, rather than Angel herself.

Both of them blushed immediately at his question… and both were a bit shocked that he never went outside, not once. "You didn't see us?" asked Tails first, after hissing at a new scratch that Sally was cleaning.

Angel, who was standing next to Sonic watching the cleaning process as well, was now turned towards Sonic. She was wondering what he would say to that.

"Well, I was too busy making sure no one broke anything…. Now, you answer my question." This last comment caught Angel, Tails and Sidney by surprise.

Sally just smiled… she already knew what was going on with both of them, and she found it absolutely adorable. When none of the three foxes answered him, she decided to give the hedgehog a bit of a clue.

"Sonic," she started, catching the blue blur's attention at once "have you forgotten what you and Amy did already?" she asked him fully.

Sonic didn't get it, but he answered anyway "No… why? What does that have to do with anything?" He seriously had no idea what was going on.

Angel shook her head in disappointment, this hedgehog was particularly dense. "You want me to tell you?" she asked him, scolding his dim-wittedness.

"Yes, please!" he said, with sarcasm practically shooting from the words.

Angel looked over at her sister for reinforcement of the telling. Sidney said nor did anything but look down, so Angel decided it was a good time to finally tell Sonic "She and Tails kissed." She said simply, catching the blue hedgehogs attention. "Then they lay down and watched the stars… quite the romantic isn't he Sidney?" she asked her sister, who blushed, but couldn't help but nod.

Sonic looked at first if he'd burst into laughter, then he noticed all the serious faces around him… and found that they weren't kidding "Oh… wow, never saw THAT coming." He said, once again with an incredible amount of sarcasm.

Angel scoffed at him, shaking her head.

Amy sat down next to Tails, and put her tiny hand on his opposite shoulder as Sally put on another bandage for him.

"Is it true?" she asked him sweetly. She received only a nod and a slight blush from the two tailed vulpine. Her face lit up with joy, and that girlish glee that was much like a trademark for her.

"Oh, my gosh, that is so KEEEWWWWWT!" She told him, causing him to blush madly and make an odd grin. She launched out at him, making him yelp a bit, and embraced him tightly "SUMMER LUVIN'! And you're so young… is she your first?" Tails nodded, but he was only halfway done with his first nod before Amy screamed with glee and joy. This frightened him, but not as much as when she embraced him even tighter than she had before.

_Well, good to see she's feeling better._ Thought Sonic, smiling at her predictable girlish reaction to the event.

"Amy… you're choking me." Tails managed to breathe out, but just barely.

She let go of him immediately "OH, sorry." That always happened to her, but she couldn't help it. She was just a natural hugger.

Angels eyes were wide and her eyebrows were tilted up at the girls somewhat odd behavior, slightly worried about the kit's safety. She and Sally looked at each other, now noticing that both of them were giving the same reaction.

Amy got up and started walking towards Sidney, and then she knelt down to meet the vixens green eyes.

"So… how'd you like your first kiss?" she said to her. This question caused Sidney to blush a bit and look at Amy a bit odd. She answered the flamingo-hedgehog accordingly.

"… Well… it WAS my first, so I don't know how good of a kisser he was…" She glanced at tails and her eyes twinkled the kind of twinkle that was used to tease "but I can't see how he could get any better."

Tails blushed madly at the last comment; his cheeks almost looked like fuzzy cherries. But afterward, he couldn't help but smile.

"Hey guys!" the deep voice of the red echidna was heard by the group, and their heads turned towards him. He tilted his head slightly in the direction of the window he was staring out.

Sonic walked up next to him and looked out as well into nothing but pitch blackness. He squinted to try and see what he was motioning towards "What? What's out there?"

Knuckles then remembered that he had better eyes than the rest of them "Oh, it's the bullies… they're getting up." He said, looking back at the window.

"So?" Sonic asked, being totally serious.

"Uhhh… they look mad."

"And?"

"… oh… I guess I see your point now."

"Right…. Angel, they're all yours if you want 'em."

Angel chuckled a bit "No, I'm quite alright. You boys have fun."

Amy and Sally both stood up angrily "I want a shot at them, too." Threatened Amy.

"No, Amy. You and Sally stay here… who knows what they'd try to do to you two." Sonic commanded them, knowing that they were still a threat.

"But their hurt… what could they possibly do?" asked Sally, trying to state a good point.

"Well, these guys… in case you haven't noticed… have some pretty good stamina." Knuckles stated, countering Sally's point "I've never seen a guy heal from bruises as early as he did… especially after I punched him."

Sonic looked at Knuckles with a knowing smile "So let's finish the job."

"I heard ya!"


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Music

After Sonic and Knuckles had cleaned up the mess that Angel had left unsupervised, they had gone back inside and saw that many people were sitting down, waiting for nothing to happen.

It was just the kind of party Sonic didn't want, but he was getting it anyway. He sighed; no one was doing anything… anything at all. It was only 10:30… but then again, a lot of stuff happened this night as well.

Tails got kissed, Amy broke up with her boyfriend, Angel kicked some major butt, and Sonic kissed Amy…. If anything, this was an overflowing night. Nothing happened to Knuckles though.

This was just so nerve wracking for the young hedgehog…. What's a party without activity? NOTHING, that's what, and so far, the most activity was a few mutters being spread around the room. Some activity THAT was. Sonic sighed and tried to think of something to do while the night was still as young as a newborn baby.

"Hey Sonic…" Knuckles started, trying to get an idea into the hedgehogs mind, but was cut off.

"Not now, dude, I'm thinking." He said, rubbing his sapphire chin.

"I was just going to suggest…" Knuckles started again, but was interrupted yet again by the blue pondering spiky teenager.

"Did I stutter? ZIP IT!" Sonic was now mad at his own lack of imagination.

"Hey Sonic…" This time it was Amy's voice, and Sonic responded.

"Yeah?"

"How about some music?" she said… but the blue hedgehog seemed too into his own thoughts that he didn't even hear her.

Knuckles looked at the pink hedgehog "I was going to suggest a staring contest, or an arm-wrestling tournament."

Amy just gave him a confused look, then shook her head.

"I'VE GOT IT!" Sonic snapped, his finger pointed to the sky now.

Amy, Angel and Sally sighed and closed their eyes, knowing what he was going to say "Music." They said in unison.

"MU… hey… how did you guys know I was going to say that?"

Angel sighed again "I'll go get my stereo."

Knuckles started heading towards the door "And I'll get my CD's."

"Mine too." followed Sonic, knowing for some reason that the echidna would only bring back rap CD's. He then zoomed out the door.

Sally, Amy, Sidney, and Tails waited for them to get back. Amy was urging not to chase Sonic, but she thought it was best to just leave it… _he'll be back soon_ _right?_ She really liked him….

Of course, he was back sooner than either of the others, but Angel wasn't far behind.

Sonic was carrying a pretty standard CD case, but it was stuffed to the max with CD's. Angel's stereo was decent sized, but the CD player itself was very small compared to the rest of the package. Two of the amplifiers were being carried in her other arm, and the other two were being carried (who'd of guessed) by her tail.

Knuckles came in a few minutes later, carrying an incredibly small package of CD's. It was almost pathetic.

"I knew it… all rap." Said Sonic suddenly.

"How can you tell?" Knuckles replied.

"Because not even you would waste too much of your money on rap." He said, grinning mischievously.

The joke seeped in quickly and the group (except Knuckles) started hollering in laughter, then the respectful 'OHHH's followed.

Knuckles eyes went blank, and his teeth grinded against each other in fury. He started raising a fist for Sonic's demise.

Sally put her soft hand on the back of Knuckles' curled fist and looked him in the eyes with a somewhat threatening manner, but it was mostly one of a 'don't-do-that' kind of look. He looked back at her, at first glaring, then slightly less tense. He tugged his arm from her and looked away.

"Alright… well let's get this party started people." Sonic said, predictably after he was done laughing. With that, he leapt for the stereo that a certain blue-haired vixen was holding in her hands.

Angel saw it coming from a mile away. All in one motion, she quickly flicked her tail directly in Sidney's direction and lashed out her incredibly strong fifth limb in the opposite direction, which was Sonic's leg, all the while looping herself around the blue missile. Her tail quickly wrapped around his left leg and pulled, giving a whiplash-like motion. He was now upside down and his emerald green eyes were glaring in frustration at her. Angel chuckled a bit at his poor attempt at testing her reflexes.

"You really need to learn to say 'Please' Mr. Hedgehog… or should I call you 'Maurice'?"

Sonic's eyes widened… how did she know his name? He looked over at Sally, who gave a satisfied and amused smile and waved at him, leaning over a bit with her head turned slightly (basically… the 'ha ha ha' gesture). Sonic glared slightly at her… but turned back to Angel. The only way he was able to manage his was by twisting his upper body around, for Angel still had him topsy-turvy.

"So what's YOUR real name? Angelica? Angela?"

"No… just Angel."

"Are you sure?" he asked, his eyebrow cocked.

"Positive." She answered with a grin, and then let him go. He hit the ground with a thud, but was up in an instant.

"Ok… so may I please have the CD player?"


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

The dance

Angel had gotten her stereo set up and was now trying to wire the system correctly. She never was good with electronics, and was far less experienced with wires. She adjusted her glasses to look clearly into the back of the amplifier she was currently looping around to see, only to get a bit of a shock when she got there.

"Oh dear… Tails, you scared me."

The little kit looked up at her and studied her reactions, then went back to wiring the system for her. Angel cocked her head to one side slightly.

"How do you know how to wire a stereo system?"

"Oh, this is nothing…" this statement received quite the impressed look from Angel.

"You're an electrician?"

"That… among other things."

"Like what?" she asked him, smiling friendlily.

"Well… I'm an inventor, a mechanic and I build remote control planes." He said, still wiring the system.

Angel looked sharply impressed at this… she would've never known. Then she watched as he started doing something she had never seen before. He seemed to be rearranging some of the wires somehow.

"What are you doing?" Angel asked him, worried about her stereo.

"I'm rewiring it somewhat… to make it louder. I'm rearranging the bass wire with the tone wire… that should make it shove a little more power out of it without overheating."

Angel looked as if she didn't understand a word he just said, but she was trying to put the pieces together.

Suddenly, a spark flew from the back of the amplifier and it made Angel jump a bit.

"There we go, all done." Said Tails, smiling proudly.

Sonic flipped his CD around and opened up the stereo system, then popped the CD in without even questioning it. It was his favorite song ever on the first track, and no doubt people would start dancing to its irresistible dance beet. Sonic grinned as he heard the CD moving around… just about time.

"'The Champs' 1958 classic… TEQUILA!" he screamed out when the song started. The crowd roared in approval, knowing that this was probably the best song that any dance could have that didn't have.

The jazzy tune started playing and people were hitting the dance floor like the song was just taking over their legs.

Tails was just sitting by himself when the music started playing and smiled at them all… good party. Just then he felt a warm and familiar hand grab his wrist and pull him up to the dance floor.

"Sidney? What're you doing?" he asked her, not knowing exactly what was on her mind.

"C'mon, it's your first dance… so DANCE!" she said, grinning with that boundless energy that was overflowing in her eyes.

The fast beet of the song kept going and moving the legs of the dancers for the whole 2 minutes and 14 seconds the song had to offer. At the end of the song, the whole crowd jumped up in the air as high as they could and screamed out the last lyric of the song "TEQUILAAA".

Knuckles walked up to the stereo, and pushed the eject button. He pulled out his own CD, with its own classic. The only difference was that this classic was more recent "Yeah, yeah… I like the old classics as much as the next guy… but I got something here… Jay-Z/Linkin Park- Numb/Encore!"

The crowd roared again at the latest suggestion. When the more bouncy music started playing, Angel remembered that she loved this song… she just couldn't quite place the name.

She walked out into the dance floor and started dancing to the rap/rock song. She was uncomfortably close to some boys who had noticed her, but she really didn't seem to notice at this point.

She moved to the fast beet, her body bouncing, her hands strung in the air… then she realized… something… something so terrible, she could only feel it…. The urge for someone to touch her had just crossed her mind. She knew someone wanted to… but where.

Time slowed as she looked around at all the dancers…. There were far too many people around to lock on just one. Suddenly she found herself becoming claustrophobic, the whole ring of people around her seeming to close the impossibly close distance between them. Nothing but her breath and heartbeat could be heard by her incredibly sensitive ears. The dancers didn't seem to notice her from what she could tell, but she was absolutely certain that at least one of them was approaching her. It was just the angle that she couldn't tell.

Then she felt it… the slight brush against her tail before the light touch on her backside. Her reflexes went into overdrive and she curled her tail around whoever's arm it was, and flipped them over before they could even think about getting a good feel. She looked down at him and glared in disgust, then kicked him right in the side of the face once she saw who it was.

"You're going to pay for that." The bully said to her, and the other two came up behind her and grabbed her before she could think. She struggled as they pulled her back. Every kick seemed not to work so well for her. "We're going to beat the living crap out of you."

Angel smirked "Like you did last time?"

"Why don't you beat us up now?" one whispered in her ear, making a huge mistake in the process unconsciously.

Once they got to a clearing, Angel answered him "Maybe I will." She told him calmly. They had her by her arms, and she saw the perfect chance when the main bully started toward her.

She gave him the slightest of smirks and her eyes glinted behind her glasses with slyness.

She used the other two as leverage as she swung her foot up in the air and smacked him in the face with her foot as he came running to her. The momentum arched her into a back-flip and she looped her arms around the other bullies necks and clothes lined them as gravity pulled her back. They were on the porch of cabin 5 now.

The two bullies who were holding her were now on the ground, while the third was now approaching again with threatening speed. When he got close enough, Angel lifted herself up and planted both feet into him hard, the force sending her backwards. She flipped in the air and landed on her feet a few yards away from the porch.

Angel turned back to see that he was on the ground, but the other two were up and would no doubt team up on her… no matter.

Both of them swung opposite fists at her, side by side. She leaned back to dodge the punches then spun to smack both arms away with her foot. She kept spinning until the other foot collided with the right ones face, and continued spinning to wrap her tail around the others neck.

She then flung the one that was in her tail into the air, jumped while spinning, and used the momentum from the spin to land an aerial kick into his chest when he was coming down, sending him soaring backward.

Then the other one came at her from behind, and managed to grab her. But Angel head-butted him in the face and wrapped her ever useful tail around his stomach. She spun the tail to get him off her, then jumped into the air and spun, her leg extended, and planted her heel into his cheek.

Then the last of the bullies came to get his. She dashed towards him, already having it planned out. He raised his fist at her _Perfect…now if I can just get up to speed._ She thought to herself, already knowing she had one.

He was about to swing when Angel put a new burst of speed into her legs, and started running up him like she had done to countless walls. She planted her last step into his face and did a back summersault in midair to get a good momentum. She used it to plant yet another foot into his face, while still trailing forward, then landed on the ground just above his head, with one foot and one knee on the ground, ending the fight.

She looked up to see that Sonic and Knuckles were watching. Both were whistling and clapping at her stunning feat. She was not amused at their attitude.

Breathing heavily, she walked over to the both of them, appearing calm. As she approached, however, she smacked them both on the heads.

"Why didn't you help me?" she asked them, anger clearly in her voice.

"We knew you could handle them…" Sonic started, but was cut off.

"I knew I could, too… but they took me by surprise and almost had me a couple of times… I could've used your help." Then she walked off.

The both of them now realized the seriousness of their mistake, but Knuckles was the first to confirm this "Sorry, Angel…."

"Yeah… really sorry…." Sonic continued.

She stopped and turned at them, now smiling a little "It's alright… I was looking for some more payback anyway."

"Yeah…" started Sonic "Plus you fight so dang wickedly."

"Yes I know."


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Eggman's return

Sidney lay there in the grass asleep with Tails holding her in his arms, as well as the fox's unique trait. The sun began to rise and warmed the young vixen's fur, as well as his equal-to-the-sun-itself golden coat.

His sky-blue eyes soon awoke and saw his maroon beauty lying just where he had seen her when she fell asleep… that was good in his sense. Because she was comfortable with him enough to fall asleep and never move… it was like instinct.

Then she stirred in his arms, making a light, warm hum when she did. Then he heard her take a deep breath and her eyes slowly moved open, revealing the brilliant, shiny green eyes that Tails adored more than his own model airplanes.

"Hi." She whispered to him, smiling with that truly happy smile that Tails now recognized.

"Hi." He whispered back, feeling his lips curl naturally into the true smile.

The bullies had not bothered them anymore… Tails finally knew they were convinced not to mess with them anymore. Even HE got a good beating into the main bully, who he now came to know as Bark the polar bear. The other two, though, he was still unsure of. One of them reminded him of some sort of weasel. Then the last one looked sort of like a great bird of some sort… like an albatross.

He wanted to keep his mind off them for now, he was just so happy… and he didn't want anything about them to spoil it. Nothing would spoil this for now… no one could either.

The night before was the happiest of his life. He was invited to a party, given a different name, gotten kissed, got a girlfriend, went to his first dance, and had become somewhat popular. That night was the best he had ever lived, and most likely would have lived.

She rubbed his face a little bit, and he returned the favor by gently massaging her ear. This moment here seemed to last forever, but to neither of them was it tedious or slow. They were just there together, and nothing on Mobius could change that fact at that moment in time… absolutely nothing.

"Well, well, well… what do we have here…? Mr. Prower and Miss Provak. I wouldn't have seen it coming."

Within the first 'well's that Eggman had produced from his mouth, Sidney and Tails had darted their head in his direction.

"Mr. Eggman… when did you get back?" Tails asked him, now slightly suspicious of his sudden appearance.

"Silence, boy! I'm not in the mood, for I had noticed the mess you all had left in Cabin 5, and I must say… I am not pleased." He said, voice shaking somewhat in an angry fashion.

Tails looked back at Sidney, who had a fearful look in her eyes, somehow knowing what was coming.

Tails sighed… Sonic had done so much for him yesterday… Tails owed him "Sir… that mess in there was my fault… I threw the party while you were away."

"I suspected so, knowing how you're not in your cabin…" he turned to Sidney. "And neither are you young lady."

"Sir that was my fault, too." Tails said suddenly before Sidney could answer. Sidney looked at him in fear for him. She started shaking her head in disapproval.

"No…" she started in a whisper, but Tails had already gotten up.

"I saw her sleeping out here and I didn't wake her…."

"I see…" Eggman said, rubbing his chin. "Let me get to the other friends of yours… they're in trouble as well."

Sonic was walking through the forest with Tails and Knuckles. He had a sword in his right hand and was holding Sally, Amy, and Angel in his other. Knuckles was on all fours and was holding all the bags like a mule while Tails was wearing a jester's hat and prancing around oddly.

"How much farther must we go, Sir Sonic? I have to make out with you before the day is done." Angel said to him, and the other girls followed suit with that.

"Yes, I as well." Said Sally, who was now closing in on Sonic.

"I as well." Amy continued.

"You need not worry young maidens… your lips will touch mine before the day is through." Sonic's young and handsome voice caressed their ears, and they sighed in glee of that.

"But I wish to kiss you NOW!" said Amy, her heart fluttering madly within her chest.

"Very well." Sonic's deep voice said again.

Amy started leaning in and the others watched with envy as he did the same. His lips started to part… and she froze about an inch away from his face.

"Wake up… Sonic." Her voice all of a sudden got deep and raspy, and it frightened Sonic.

"Amy, do you need some water? Your voice has gotten deep."

"Did you hear me?" she asked him… then something horrible happened.

Amy's face started to mold into something so horrible… so vile… Sonic could not bear to look, for fear that he might remember what he was about to do…. He was about… to KISS EGGMAN!

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Sonic yelled as he darted up, the horrifying memory still fresh in his mind. But it was soon knocked out by the lowest beam of the upper bunk-bed that he had nailed his head on as he arose with a flash. "OHHHHHHHHHHHH! AHH IT HURTS! Wood hurts a lot when you hit it really fast!" then he started sobbing in pain. When he was done, he looked out the bunk to see Eggman standing there, his arms crossed, obviously un-amused at the hedgehog's antics.

"Wake up!" he yelled at Sonic.

"I AM up!" Sonic yelled back, but then put his head back onto the pillow and started drifting off to sleep.

Eggman wouldn't take this. He removed the day stick from his belt and beat Sonics side fiercely with the blunt object. "WAKE UP! WAKE UP! WAKE UP!" he yelled, in sync with his blows to the blue hedgehog.

Sonic jetted upwards and out of the bed "ALRIGHT!" he yelled, suddenly awake. "ALRIGHT, Tons of fun I'm up!"

Eggmans eyes widened at the insult had just laid upon his ears "What did you call me?" he asked him firmly.

Sonic looked up at the egg-shaped man's head "TONS-O-FUN! Did I stutter?"

"Oh… you had just made a terrible mistake my blue friend." He said, pulling out some sort of remote, his voice now shaky with rage "A… terrible mistake."


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

The effects of a button-press

Sonic stared at the remote for a few seconds, wondering what it was for "Is that a TV remote?"

"NO! You idiot… I'm not punishing you with television."

Sonic sneered at him "Well whatcha gonna do then, huh? Zap away my lunch?" then Sonic realized the horrifying thing he just suggested… not his chili-dogs "Oh, wait… forget I ever said that one." He said, his hands waving in the air in submission and trying to wave off the thought.

Eggman glared at Sonic, now detecting his sarcasm "You obviously have no idea what is upon you…" he sneered at Sonic "disgusting Mobians. And mark my words, Sonic the Hedgehog… you will be the first to suffer for your tragic mistake."

Sonic chuckled a bit "Oh, yeah…TV is soooo dangerous and threatening." This comment made Eggman almost literally steam from the ears, but it also made every boy in Cabin 1 laugh hysterically. Even Knuckles (who was standing in the militaristic way he did when Eggman was around) couldn't help but smirk and crack a smile.

"YOU IMBECILE! You will be punished for that." He looked at Knuckles "And you, for failing me."

He lifted up the strange looking device and looked at the two of them threateningly, the other boys in the cabin still laughing at him and his seemingly immature impatience.

He placed his gloved hand on the button, making sure it would be a firm and harsh press. He gave one last look at the hedgehog and readied his press. He started cackling evilly at their undoing. "Say goodbye… to your precious freedom."

He told his brain to send a message via nerve cords to his thumb to contract the muscles which were mapped inside the fifth evolutionary finger. The button clicked and nearly disappeared inside the body of the remote, and a small but noticeable beep came from it.

"Eggman's back?" Sally asked Tails again, wondering why he had returned so soon "That's odd."

"He told me he'd be gone all weekend." Tails confirmed, also confused.

Angel pondered this. She tried unlocking every little nick and cranny in her mind to find some answer to his appearance, which was supposedly early. She put a thinking hand to her chin, looking at the ground, yet staring off into space. _Why in heaven's name is he back so soon… WITHOUT a drill. This is getting to be a mystery, and a nagging one at that._

Suddenly her sapphire eyes spotted something, teleporting her thoughts back to earth and her sight concentrated on the ground. Small pebbles and grains of sand were shifting along the ground as if they all were vibrating under their own will. Angel cocked her head to one side to view the strange occurrence.

"There aren't any land faults near here are there?"

Tails also noticed the sand and shook his head "No, the nearest one is 400 miles east of us…. So what is that?"

Sally and Sidney were now both looking at the ground in a similar fashion. Then they all noticed something immediately. Their legs were shaking like mad, and the ground seemed to be getting more and more seizures by the second. The trembling continued for about another minute or so, and it just stopped all of a sudden. No evidence of there ever being a freak earthquake like that was left, other than the slightly fatigued Mobians just standing there, looking at each other with frightened eyes.

Tails turned slowly to Sidney, then to Angel, then Sally. All of them did the same without any words exchanged.

Then, when all seemed well and unharmed, the ground began to shake once more, with more force than before. Each small tremor seemed to send a vibrating current through them with the utmost of intensity. They were now bouncing up and down slightly in sync with the tremors. And, just as it had before, it was gone.

If it were possible, the recently frightened faces of the group of four Mobians looked at each with more intense fear than before. Sidney started to get a bit tearful, her lip trembled in fear and confusion.

Tails walked over and wrapped an assuring arm around Sidney, trying to comfort her and slow her trembling. The fact of the matter was, not even he knew what was happening, so he didn't truly know how much comfort he could give her.

She looked over at him, questions flooding just as equally as the tears that were pooling in her brilliant eyes "What's happening, Tails?"

Tails looked around, for what he wasn't sure. Maybe it was for an answer, maybe it was something to comfort her. He found neither "I…" he started, but the earth decided to interrupt him with a giant crevice shooting out from the forest line, right between him and Sidney. The crack widened rapidly, about two or three inches for every ten seconds.

Tails quickly leapt over to Sidney's side of the crevice and looked back at the crevice. He darted his head to Sally and Angel to notice that they were looking at the crack with the most terrified faces Tails had ever seen. Their eyes were so wide that Tails was surprised they didn't split even wider, and their jaws were slacked, showing shock.

They all slowly turned to see the crevice getting larger and longer by the second. Then back to each other. As if reading each others minds, they all darted away from the forest line and towards the main part of the summer camp, not wanting to be caught in the freak earthquake.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Dr. Ivo Robotnik

The ground shook so violently that it was barely possible for each of the group to communicate with each other. Sonic tried to listen as best as he could but the noise was far too great for any word from Angel or any of the others lips.

Amy was with them now, and Sonic thanked heaven that she was alright, but the world had shown different for the summer camp. Each of the buildings had some extent of damage done to them. The boys' cabin was torn in half from one of the great cracks in the earth. No one was hurt, thank goodness, but several were panicking and questioning what was going on.

Several crevices were coming through the camp now, and the earthquake had somewhat intensified. Mr. Eggman had disappeared, but Sonic knew his remote control had something to do with this. The ground shook with violent tremors, each one feeling as if the world was jumping.

He and the others were fleeing the outer edge of the camp now, and most of the campers followed suit. They weren't the earliest ones waiting at the end of the camp grounds, but they were among the first.

When they all got to the end, they turned back to see that the cabins 8, 9 and 11 were completely demolished, all with at least half of the cabin missing, 11 was completely gone. It had disappeared when the crack near it widened and swallowed it whole.

Sonic and the others watched in horror and confusion as each crack widened and took up more and more ground. The camp grounds were nearly destroyed now.

"WHATS GOING ON?" Knuckles screamed, confusion swimming lively in his voice.

"WHAT!" Sonic asked him, the grounds constant shuddering and trembling muffling his voice.

"WHAT!" Knuckles screamed back.

In all their confusion and constant trading of the same word, the others had noticed a major change in the quake… it had stopped.

"SHUT UP BOTH OF YOU!" Sally screamed at them, and then pointed at the camp "Look."

Both of them just looked at her for a moment, turned towards each other, and then turned around to view what had happened. What they saw worried them greatly.

The about a third of the camp grounds had been sunk into some sort of crater. The crater was only a few feet deep, with rubble and debris piled within it. The other two-thirds were nothing but the trees of the forest, now tilted slightly inward from the craters under-arch.

"What is that?" Sonic half-whispered to himself, now inching towards the strange crater. He merely stepped a few feet when the crater itself started to quake violently.

The gravel on the inside of the crater shook without end and the trees leaves were vibrating in sync with the quakes. Then the strangest thing happened to the crater… it started rotating. Slowly but surely, the crater spun, carrying the broken debris and trees with it.

Within only a few seconds the crater had stopped turning and was now vibrating slightly again. Then, without any warning, the crater shot up violently, making appear like a dome coming from the ground. The trees responded by flying out of the ground, their leaves soaring off of them and the roots flailing in the air. The trees flew threw the air for a while like spears and landed all over the camp, colliding with buildings and shattering glass before they finally stopped.

Sidney became terrified at the sudden exhale of the earth and clung to Tails' arm tightly, wanting this strange and horrifying nightmare to end. To her dismay… this was only the abrupt beginning.

The dirt started to slide off of the dome, revealing a brilliant metallic silver object underneath. Then a few dozen of strange, thick wires started to snake out from beneath the dirt below the object. They arched over and shot into the new earth on the surface. They appeared to be pulling on something, for they were wriggling about oddly. Then the large spherical object made its final appearance, now showing what the wires were pulling on.

When the last of the egg-shaped sphere came levitating above the ground, the wires suddenly straitened, giving it more support. They appeared now to be less bendable than solid metal rods.

Although inwardly, the entire group was panicking, physically, they stayed put, wondering what they should do. The egg-shaped silver thing didn't seem at all threatening, but they all had their doubts. For minutes the thing didn't make a single gesture, allowing plenty of conversation time, but no one dared speak for one unexplained reason or another

"Dear me!" said the egg, somehow projecting its voice throughout the crowd, the voice was not unfamiliar to anyone however. The voice was Mr. Eggman's. "Look at all your frightened faces. I must be out of my mind to suggest scaring you all out of your wits like that." Then a sadistic cackle followed his perfectly punctuated voice.

"Now, I think, it is about the time that I bestow upon you my true identity. My name is not, in fact, Mr. Joseph Eggman…." He paused for a moment, expecting a few in the crowd to laugh. None did however, probably still in shock and fear of him, so he continued "My true, birthright name is Ivo Robotnik… Dr. Ivo Robotnik. And let me introduce to you, my hemispherical fortress… the Death Egg."


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

The Death Egg's attack

Eggman cackled again, this time with more sadistic grandeur than before. The laugh sent a chill up all who heard its spine.

Sonic watched the Death Egg closely as the maniac's voice echoed through his mind. Each sudden jut of air from the lungs of 'Dr. Robotnik' seemed to close his concentration more and more. The psychopathic scientist couldn't seem to stop his sudden outbursts of laughter.

Eventually though, his large lungs eventually were empty of oxygen, and he merely continued to speak "It is a beautiful piece of work isn't it?" he asked the Mobians, though the question wasn't really meant to be answered. "I see you all in awe of its magnificence… how about a free tour of the inside?"

Then something started to shift on the surface of the 1500-foot-diameter Death Egg. What appeared to be hundreds of small compartments started untwisting and opening like air ducts would.

The group watched them closely, as if something would start to crawl out of the ducts. Nothing but darkness dwelled on the inside of the new openings, though.

Knuckles keen, violet eyes stared closely at the holes, trying to catch even the slightest glimpse of movement. They got what they were looking for, and his pupils started to widen at the pitch-blackness of one of the holes. He squinted slightly to try and pin down the list of possibilities to what was moving. It appeared to wriggle around like a worm of some sort.

The unknown serpents then started to slowly appear from their holes. They were similar to the thick wires that were currently holding the Death Egg up, only these didn't stick into the ground. On the contrary, these wires were now stretching themselves into the air, skyward.

Each one of them wriggled violently as they started to point towards the crowd. The hundreds of individual metallic serpents were now supposedly scanning the group with a single eye that they had on the very tip of their 'head'.

"What's he planning?" Sonic asked himself, and then turned to the rest of the group for confirmation that they had heard him. All were staring up at the Death Egg in complete bliss and fear… save one. "Where's Angel?" he asked them.

Sidney snapped out of her bliss for a moment to search for her 17-year-old half-sister, her head darting this way and that to get a glimpse of her. She found no clue that she had ever been there, but knew where she had gone. "She's in the girls' cabin… getting something."

Sonic and the others stared at her for a moment. Tails opened his mouth to say something to her, but Robotnik's machine interrupted him.

They all turned at the sudden activity of the Death Egg; the incredibly long 'arms' of the Death Egg were now lashing out violently at the camp members, wrapping around them to grab them, and pulling them into the holes that populated the sphere by the hundreds. Screams and cries of terror and shock came a-plenty from the campers.

Angel walked into the girls' cabin and started scanning the underside of her and her sister's bunk to find her bag with her arm. When she had found it, she immediately pulled it out from under the bed and unzipped it. She felt for the one thing she had to try and help fight against the Death Egg.

She found it almost instantly, for it was large enough to identify. She yanked out the katana that her father had given her in his will. She always carried it for good luck, but never thought in a million years she would ever have to use it, especially for a major event such as this.

Then she heard the screams. Her anger rose within her as well as the fear for her sister and the rest of the group. She started breathing heavily to show her anger to no one but herself, but swallowed it. It would only blind her attacks, and she knew this better than she did most things.

She unsheathed the sword and got to her feet, then walked briskly towards the door. The sight she had received when she stepped out didn't at all surprise her. The arms were grabbing people and carrying them back to the Death Egg, some dragging.

Just as she got to the edge of the porch, one of the snake-like arms lashed out at her from her left, she moved her foot out of the way and quickly counter-slashed at the arm, the blade cutting through it as easily as butter. The 'head' of it fell to the ground and kicked up a little dust.

Then another one of the arms lashed at her, this time from behind her. She quickly grabbed it with her tail and wrapped around it fiercely, then spun and slashed at the metallic snake, 'decapitating' it. She then kicked at another that was approaching from her right and slashed its head off, too.

She did her best to try and dodge and counter all of the arms that came at her, but eventually her blade fell short and she was being carried off to the Death Egg along with the rest of them.

She saw one going towards her sister and shot her arm out at it, forcing the sword to fly towards it and pinning it against a tree, making it as good as useless.

Though it was a valiant and somewhat lucky effort, the arms wouldn't stop coming. She watched the others try to fight them off, but she already knew that this day would not sing victory anytime soon.

Angel sighed in slight sadness, but with acceptance of her defeat as the duct closed in front of her, blinding her from the outside world.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

The flight of the fortress

As the Death Egg lashed out at Sonic, he quickly dodged its arm and started dashing towards the giant fortress. What was going through his head at that point he didn't know, but all he knew is that he had to do something about this, for his friends more than himself. Each arm that came down around him seemed to fall short of his magnificent speed. He felt the wind rush against his face, his quills being pulled back, the feeling of freedom surrounding him. All that mattered to him, besides the well being of his friends, was that he cherished this freedom, and made sure that it wouldn't die in vain.

One of the arms came down and punctured the ground right in front of him and he saw his opportunity. He dashed up the arm, his speed pretty much defining his balance for him. He had to get inside without being captured.

Just as he was getting to the duct, an arm came up and lashed him from the right. He felt it tighten around his waist and tried with no avail to free himself. He saw his legs start to go into the duct of the arm that had him and posted his legs on the side of it, trying to push himself free. His face strained with struggle and fear as he used his ever fast legs to now not be fast, but to use whatever strength they had to get the arm off him.

His latest attempt to free himself failed as well as he slipped on the slick surface of the Death Egg and disappeared inside the duct. He heard it close behind him with a metallic clang and sighed in despair.

"Great… now what will Knucklehead think of me?" he said to himself, the noise echoing in the small duct.

Tails held onto Sidney as best as he could and tried to make it far enough from the Death Egg as possible. Sally and Amy were right behind them.

Amy had seen Sonic dart off into the direction of the Death Egg, and despised the sight of him being caught. She couldn't stop crying as she ran, thinking that something terrible had happened to him… something worse than death. She was so distraught with the loss that she couldn't see from her tears and her lungs hurt from the mixture of running and sobbing at the same time.

She couldn't take anymore of the running and collapsed on her knees, her hands buried into the ground from the impact. She let her tears go, creating small lakes around her hands, she felt her barrette slide off her perfectly groomed quills and saw it fall to the earth, but she didn't care. For once, she never cared about her image for a moment. Time seemed to slow to a crippled crawl as she sat there, her hands dug into her flamingo face trying to hold back her tears.

She felt warm hands on her shoulders and looked up to see Sally kneeled over and looking at her in worry, tears also streaming down her face. Tails and Sidney had also stopped, but they were a few yards behind Sally.

"C'mon Amy, we've got to go." She said to her, almost forcefully, but her calm voice seemed to enlighten Amy a little bit. She nodded and started to get up, her knees pushing against the ground to give some support.

Just then, Amy felt one of the arms snag against her stomach and pull, the force lifting her in the air and pulling her back quickly.

Sally didn't even have time to react to Amy's capture before her own came to her, an arm snagging her leg and lifting her back to the Death Egg.

Tails saw Sally get snagged and leapt forward to help her, but his arm fell slightly short when he collided with the ground, her brown hand disappearing from view. He pounded his fist into the dirt in frustration and scowled to himself. Tears started to pool in his brilliant sky-blue eyes, making them appear even bluer.

He felt Sidney's soft hand press up against his shoulder from behind, and he turned to her. Her eyes were now overflowing with tears, the weight of the water pushing her wet fur against her face.

He got to his feet and grabbed her shoulders as well as she drooped her head forward.

He lifted his right tail up to dry her eyes as he looked at her, worry swallowing his face. He had not realized that he too was crying, just as bad as she was.

"C'mon Sidney… we have to get going." He said to her, and she nodded slightly.

Tails grabbed her hand and pulled ahead of her, trying to lead her to a safe location, but his hand was snagged when she refused to move. He turned to her to see she was still emotionally unstable….

Then her maroon body lifted off the ground and started to pull towards the Death Egg's direction. Her eyes lit up in fear as she looked towards Tails, not wanting him to let go of her hand. She screamed as the cold metal tightened, trying to get a better hold. "TAILS!" she screamed, the once beautiful voice now piercing Tails ears with fear he had never felt before.

Tails held on, trying to pull back with his legs, but was being dragged along the ground. He held on as tight as he could and pulled with all the strength he could muster.

His attempt at freeing her failed when the large metal arm flicked itself up and lifted them both off the ground suddenly. Then it shot back towards the Death Egg.

Knuckles was just below them when they got dragged off, his speed failing him, like it did with Sonic merely a few days earlier.

He punched himself in the face in frustration, but knew it wouldn't get him anywhere, so he turned and started to punch away at any approaching arms.

Eventually though… he was captured, like the rest of them…. Then, as his duct closed around his dreadlocked head, the whole base started to lift, a rocket propulsion system lifting it up as all the 'legs' disappeared again inside the dreaded sphere.

The camp was desolate, and no life stirred within its once lively activity. There was only silence unless the wind carried some whistle for the ears of the silence.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Inside the Egg

Sidney opened her eyes only to wonder if she really had, for it was too dark to see anything. She thought she knew where they were, and feared that they might not ever get out. Her and Tails were in the same duct as far as she knew, but she couldn't feel him anymore. The duct was far too cramped to have two half-sized Mobians in the same duct without knowing.

She started trembling and sobbing at the fact that he wasn't there to comfort her… she had to make sure though.

"Tails?" she sobbed, her lip trembling and energy eyes darting everywhere, trying to catch at least the slightest glimpse of light or him. She perked her ears in an alert manner to try and catch even the slightest whisper from her two-tailed boyfriend. The air split nothing but her own sobbing and the small drops of tears from her eyes.

For the longest time, not even the slow stirring of the Death Egg's rotation answered her call. All was as silent as the grave….

She decided to move a bit, crawling on all fours to look for him, and noticed that she was in a larger room than the duct, much larger. She started feeling around for anything soft and fuzzy that would identify him. Then she reached some sort of wall, and trailed her hands up it, only to realize it wasn't a wall… but a cell-door…. She was in a cage, but at least it was a large cage.

She decided to ignore the door and started crawling around again, trying to feel for Tails. She started whispering out his name again, but nothing answered her but the soft sound of her gloves padding against the cold metal floor. Then her hand brushed up against something other than the floor, and it felt like a finger of some sort, so she kept feeling, and found a gloved hand, then soft fur.

"Tails!" she whispered to him, her hand still trailing up his arm, quicker now though, and she buried her head into his chest. The soft fuzz complimented her as a cushion. Just then she felt him stir a bit, and then wrap his arm around her back.

"Sidney…" he muttered to her, his voice grunting in what seemed like exhaustion, but it was still sweet and kind.

Sidney kept hugging him and started to snuggle a little more, now crying with more of happiness than despair. Even so, the tears flowed like rivers. He pulled her closer and helped comfort her.

The blindness of the dark kept them from admiring each others eyes, but they started feeling for each others faces, and then leaned in. When their lips met, they relished the moment by rubbing and scaling each others muzzle with care and gentle touch. Each one felt themselves become overwhelmed with a sudden rush of emotion, and tears started to pool in their closed eyes. It wasn't long before each one of their tongues accidentally brushed against each other.

After which, their eyes darted open to notice that they could see each other now, for the lights were on, and their lips were still locked. They felt their lips curl up in a nervous smile, but their lips were locked, so it was awkward and nervous. They parted slowly, and their eyes admired each other for the longest time.

"Welcome young foxes…" said a voice that was now disgusted and feared. Tails winced at it, and felt Sidney start to tremble slightly. Then he turned to the source of the voice, outside the cell.

"Why are you doing this?" Tails asked him, anger as well as fear rising without any limit.

"To show that I can do so… what more reason do I need?" he said rather bluntly.

Angel woke with some fatigue and a bit of pain in her side from where the arm had grabbed her. Her head hurt like mad, and her vision was blurred somewhat. She was on her knees and hands, and then she sat up and looked out the bars of the cell-door. After she woke up completely, the vision started to get clearer, she could see the brim of her glasses now. They were really for show, not for crucial vision quality.

The lights were on, so it wasn't as if she was blind. She started looking around the inside of what she assumed was the Death Egg. She was looking primarily for her friends, but also for any signs of life whatsoever. She found one, and didn't much like what she saw.

She scoffed at him and shook her head "Of all the people I could've gotten stuck with… it had to be you."

Todd looked at her with a bit of confusion, and then realized what she meant "You're still mad about that, huh?" the orange hedgehog asked.

"Extremely." She said, turning her head away from him.

"Hey c'mon, I know you liked it Angel-face." He said, trying to be smooth.

"It wasn't that bad in comparison with a fresh cow dropping in my mouth… but it was just about the same." She said, honestly.

"Ouch… you're one feisty little vixen." Just after he finished the sentence, a large tail grabbed him around the neck and tightened quickly. Then he felt himself being dragged towards Angel's sitting position.

"Say that one more time… I dare you." She said, glaring at him.

He just sat there, being choked, then Angel flicked her tail and he slid across the metal floor before he hit the wall at the other side of the cell.

"GAH… you didn't have to do that."

"For Amy… I had to do THAT, and several more."


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Sudden guilt

Sonic awoke in a hurry (like most things he did) and found himself standing at an odd, diagonal way and looking down at the floor. He wondered if this was the effect of the Death Egg, or if he was just imagining things. One thing was for sure though, and that was that he did not like it one bit.

He tried moving his arms, but found he couldn't. He glanced over at his upper limbs to witness that they had been chained up to some bolts on a wall. The he tried to move his feet, which also snagged as well. He sighed and looked down at the useful-now-useless feet and found that they were bolted directly on the wall. He was leaning forward too, which would explain his diagonal position.

He struggled to try and get himself free, but the movement was futile, and he simply kept snagging himself. Eventually, the broken spirit of the hedgehog soaked in and he gave up entirely.

"I could have told you that was pointless, Sonic." Said the now hated voice of Dr. Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik. Sonic winced at the sadistic maniac, now knowing the intentions of his conscience.

"What do you want from us? We didn't do anything to you."

"I want to hold possession of your freedom, Mr. Hedgehog. I wish to build an army with you and of course…" he paused, and then turned away from Sonic "you will obey my commands as your new general."

Sonic looked up and glared at him, then noticed that he appeared to be in a control room. "How are you gonna make us do that?"

"Simple… I'll turn you into the one thing that has never disobeyed man or Mobian before."

"And what's that?" Sonic darted. Eggman did not answer him for the longest time, perhaps trying to think of something to counter Sonic's point, or possibly just trying to think of a way to put it. Whatever it was, the answer came anyway.

"A machine, Mr. Hedgehog." Eggman stated quietly, grinning evilly.

Sonic hesitated with this statement. He had no idea how Eggman was going to turn them into machines… but he thought it wouldn't be impossible, knowing that he built an floating metal base underground, of all places. He didn't doubt that Robotnik could do something like that.

"So… you're going to make us into robots?" Sonic asked, sarcasm totally wiped clean from his voice.

"Precisely." Eggman answered, picking up the slight fear in the hedgehog's voice, and adding to it.

Sonic dropped his head in despair, just thinking of what he could do to him. "Where are my friends?" he finally decided to ask, truthfully wanting to know.

"Let me get them for you…" he said, more sadistic manner in his voice. He turned around a pressed a few buttons on a control board behind him.

Something started happening to the room. Six large, metallic tiles opened up from the floor in an arch around Sonic's front, and something stirred underneath. A few moments later, large cages started appearing from the tiles. All the cages held at least one of his friends, save Tails and Sid, who were in the same cage.

Angel had noticed that she wasn't with Todd anymore, and thanked the heavens for it. The cage they had been in split in two and Todd was still back there, in a cell half the size it used to be. She slightly smirked at his torture, knowing that whatever he got that was bad, was in fact good for her.

"SONIC!" Amy yelled from his direct right, tears streaming down her face wildly. Her worry for him was now greater than it was outside the Death Egg, just before she got taken away. Now she knew where he was, but thought it was much worse than what she had imagined then.

"Amy…" Sonic said back, both his face and voice distraught with worry and guilt. It WAS, in part, his fault that this all happened. It was him that insulted Eggman and set him off in the first place. It was him that started all this… and he felt that he should be punished for having this happen.

It was his fault she was crying, too… if they hadn't gotten so close, then she might not have cared. He made the move, and now she was crying because of them being so close, in one way or another…. And he hated to see her cry.

"Yes… Mr. Hedgehog…." Robotnik started, dragging out what he wanted to say "The friends you have here… will watch me turn you into my ever-bidding slave. Not only to view their best friend become something he is not… but to also pain them more when it's their turn."

Then something snapped in Sonic's head… sure he was going to be the first like Eggman had said, but now he hated the idea even more. Rage built within him, his blood boiling inside his heart and veins. The sudden will to fight to the last breath conquering his mind and intentions, as well as his instinct.

Robotnik cackled evilly, as he had before. Only this time, his voice seemed to make Sonic shake. Not with fear…neither with doubt, nor disgust… but with hate. For the first time in Sonic's entire life… he felt hatred towards someone… towards another living thing. It was truthfully new to him.

He slowly lifted his head up to view the mad doctor, his emerald eyes now seeming to burn red. The hatred swelling in him, making him feel as if he was about to burst with rage.

Tails looked away from his friend, Sonic. The image of him looking at someone in true hatred was just too much for the nine-year-old to bear.

He was behind Eggman, therefore, right in Sonic's sight. He started averting his eyes anywhere he could, then he spotted something, and came up with an instant idea.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Sonic's distraction

Tails and Sidney's cell was too tall to have a barred ceiling when put into this room, so Robotnik had removed the original ceiling of the cell and used the ceiling of the control room as a replacement. But he had not noticed that the foxes' cell was right below one of the ducts of the room.

Sidney followed his gaze, and then glanced back to Tails, knowing what he was planning. Tails smiled at her in hope, the looked back up to the duct.

But then he realized… he didn't have a screwdriver of any kind to try and get the well-placed screws out of the corners of the duct. He started looking on the cold metal floor for any kind of screwdriver to use… he found none. Then he looked around the room for anything… and saw one.

There it was… a screwdriver… but it was somewhere he didn't want to risk… Robotnik's belt. He started to shun the idea and abandon them all to a miserable life into slavery. He looked back again and then looked around for any way that they might be able to get the screwdriver off the belt. And he found it… the one thing that was close enough to Robotnik to get the screwdriver, and long enough to grab it…. It was ringing in Tails' head already: the sound of their feet beating on the ground to the escape pods (he saw some on the way up to the control room), and their hearts beating just as fast… the sounds of escape.

Then Robotnik started to explain something to Sonic, interrupting the finding of the great escape tool.

"As you can see, Mr. Hedgehog… I have built this giant Death Egg for one purpose."

Sonic interrupted him, anger in his voice "To enslave the world, right?"

"Indeed… very good, Mr. Hedgehog. I see you have been paying attention, for once. This plan had to be executed by building the Death Egg underground, from which I could not be detected by satellite. I had actually finished work on the death egg over a year ago, for it took about a year to charge to maximum power. Then I had dynamited the tunnel there, sealing it."

Tails suddenly snapped to his direction, but didn't forget the escape tool "So that's why you needed the drill…."

"Precisely, Mr. Prower."

Tails thought a bit… they had to get out of here now.

Their escape had to begin with that one thing, though… Angel's tail.

Sidney saw it, too, and started to wave her hand to get her sisters attention. Her sister was totally focused on Robotnik at that time, however.

"Psst… Angel!" Sidney whispered, being as loud as she could without alerting Eggman. This time, Sidney had gathered her attention. Then Sidney motioned out what she wanted her sister to do, and mouthed out the motions as well.

When Sidney finished, Angel had noticed that she pointed to Robotnik and mouthed out something that looked like 'screwdriver'. Angel turned and noticed the screwdriver on his belt, then turned back to Sidney.

Sidney then proceeded to motion out that she wanted Angel to use her tail to remove the screwdriver and pass it to Sidney. Angel understood it, then considered the risk.

Sonic saw what they were doing and decided to distract Robotnik a little longer to give them time and to keep Robotnik's attention away from them "Hey Ro-butt-lick…" He said, catching his attention "Why do wear a belt?… its not fooling anyone".

"It is for construction purposes." Robotnik said quickly.

"But there's nothing to build… duh!" Sonic said, sarcasm dominating his tone again.

Robotnik smirked "It is uncomfortable… I'll put it back on when I deal with you." Then he took it off, like the fool he was.

Once Robotnik turned around, Angel immediately slid her tail out of the bars and reached out with her fifth limb and carefully slid the screwdriver from its place. She brought it back and handed it to the person next to her, which was Knuckles, who had also seen what was going on. Knuckles then passed it to Sidney, who took it with enthusiastic glee.

Tails watched as Sidney handed it to him, but put his hand up to deny it, confusing Sidney.

Tails leaned in closer to her to whisper in her ear "Listen, I don't want to fly up there… the noise could get us caught." He said to her as gently as he could. She heard him and nodded in agreement.

"What should we do then?" she asked him, making him think for a few seconds. Then he found the answer.

"Get on my shoulders." He whispered. She glanced back in Robotnik's direction and started to climb on his back, being as quiet as possible.

Sonic saw them doing this and caught Robotnik's attention again "Why are you obsessed with eggs?"

Robotnik glared at him through his goggles "Why do you ask such foolish questions, hedgehog?"

"Because I can…. Why do you eat so much?"

Robotnik glared at him again "No comment…"

"Alright, then answer my first question."

Sidney had just gotten the last screw started when Sonic said that.

"What if I don't want to?"

"Then I'll annoy you."

"Fine, I like eggs because they represent the beginning of life. As this egg represents the beginning of your planet's death. I find it ironic, don't you?"

Just then, Sidney had gotten the last screw out of the duct.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Curl your tail up

Sidney removed the final screw and handed it down to Tails with one hand while she held up the duct with the other, so that the duct wouldn't fall. After Tails had grabbed the screw with his left tail, Sidney then leaned down to hand him the duct itself. He took it with his right tail, and set it on the ground as gently as he could, not making a noise as he did so.

Sidney looked over in Robotnik's direction and saw that Sonic was still doing his best to distract him.

"So basically, you eat eggs for breakfast, lunch and dinner?"

Robotnik didn't like where the hedgehog was going with his 'obsession' with eggs. "No, you idiot!" he screamed, highly displeased "I merely enjoy eggs for breakfast."

"That must be all you eat then…." Sonic said, turning his head with sarcasm "Because they are extremely high in cholesterol."

Sonic's latest gesture took a while to seep in, but alas, it did. "YOU DARE INSULT ME!" Robotnik screamed, fuming with rage and humiliation.

Sidney held back a giggle and looked down at Tails. She nodded, showing him that she was ready to go into the vent.

He gently pushed her up into the perfect-sized duct, and watched as her figure climbed up into the vent and her soft tail disappeared behind her. He looked over at the vent she was supposed to go to, and noticed something terrible… it was right in front of Robotnik, in between him and Sonic.

It wouldn't be a problem getting it out, that ducts bolts were going from the inside to outside the vent, and Sidney still had the screwdriver. But she was in a bad position right now, and Tails only had one way to get her out of it. He considered it, and decided it was the best way to get her out… he always thought like that….

"Hey, Robotnik…" Tails said, getting his attention, he winced when Robotnik turned and noticed Sidney missing.

"Mr. Prower… where is Ms. Provak.

Sidney watched as Robotnik scanned the room, all the while she was undoing the screws on the duct. He was turned around, so he wouldn't see her drop from the duct.

She undid the last screw and removed the duct, then pulled her legs around so that she would most definitely land on her feet when she landed, and pulled them over the edge like she had when she dropped from the bunk-bed. Then she remembered something Angel had told her so many times before when dropping suddenly.

_Curl your tail up…._ She was in the perfect position for this, with Robotnik turned away and her back being to him… she finally remembered it.

Then she started sliding her body forward and the end of her legs reached the edge of the duct. It scratched her slightly when she dropped, but she ignored it.

She felt her tail curl when she dropped, and landed on the cold metal tiles without any noise, not even the soft pad of her feet.

She landed and glanced back to see that Robotnik had not noticed her landing, but was still scanning the room and asking the others, who lied accordingly.

She looked at Sonic, who moved his head to his right to show her where the control bin was, and it was not two feet to his dominant side.

She walked over to it and glanced at all the strange buttons… there had to be hundreds of them. She quickly scanned the whole of the buttons and found the one she needed. It was labeled 'EMERGENCY ESCAPE'. She pressed the button, still not absolutely sure that that was the right button.

Then something came to life in the Death Egg and red lights started spinning around like fire alarm lights, and an alarm started blaring loudly.

Despite all the sudden commotion, the button did its work and all the bars on the cages of the group fell to the floor individually.

Robotnik snapped back to Sidney, fear growing in his eyes. Sidney looked at him and just winked, slyness dominating her expressions. He ran out of the room and sealed the door he had passed through.

Then a strange, robotic and womanly voice came up on the megaphone speakers "All personnel report to the emergency escape pods. Repeat: all personnel report to the escape pods. Self destruct of Death Egg will commence in fifteen minutes.

This startled the group as Knuckles used his strength to pry Sonic's chains and release him, which were unaffected by the button.

"Thanks." Sonic said.

"No problem." Knuckles answered.

Without any further conversation, the group headed towards another door that was opposite the one Robotnik had escaped from.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Escape

Sidney couldn't help but feel a little guilty for pressing the button, because now they would die if they didn't get out in time.

Tails looked back to see if she was alright and noticed that she had fallen behind slightly… if only she was as fast a runner as she was a learner. He grabbed onto her hand and quickened his pace.

Sonic was in the front, obviously, with Tails behind him, then Amy, then Angel, Knuckles, Sally and Sidney. He saw Tails fall behind to help Sidney hurry, but the others weren't far behind, so Sonic had no reason to do the same.

Knuckles began to get irritated at how long they were following Sonic, who clearly had no idea where he was going. A few minutes… maybe two. They still had plenty of time, but Knuckles couldn't help but think that Sonic wouldn't lead them to safety anytime soon.

Their feet pounded against the cold metal, making a metallic drumming noise every time their hind limbs did so. The steps echoed in the long hallways, making it seem like they were the only ones there.

Their heart rate raced like hummingbirds' wings, though not one seemed to slow after Tails had Sidney's hand. The sweat pooled on their foreheads and soon began running, but their pace did not diminish a millisecond. Their lungs felt like bursting, but none seemed to notice.

Not one slowed down…. Their legs all seemed to be in some sort of trance, not allowing a single step behind the current pace that they were delivering.

Then Angel's sensitive ears caught something, but her instinct told her to ignore it and continue running. But the constant clang that seemed to ring in her ears just became slightly louder and louder as she took each step. But finally the message that is triggered by noise reached her brain and she slowed a bit.

Time seemed to slow as she turned to her left into the dark hall they were currently passing. The movement inside of it was undeniable, though it was pitch-black inside. The slight and random twitches from the inside of it slowed her senses to a crawl, and her movement followed suit with that.

She stared into the blackness, wondering what the random twitches could possibly have been.

"Angel!" Sonics voice tried to make it past her eardrum, but the sudden rasp of air from the hedgehog calling out her birthright name seemed to vanish as easily as it called out.

Angel seemed to move now slowly, towards the hall, trying to see whatever the moving object was.

Suddenly a loud horn bellowed through the hallway, echoing in the darkness. The blare of noise was enough to make Angel's hands dart towards her ears in a quick beeline. The others mimicked her reaction quickly.

Then the thing appeared from the shadows… a large, multi-legged machine that resembled an octopus somewhat. It had a single body with several legs that resembled the Death Eggs 'arms' to a tee. In what seemed like the cockpit was none other than Dr. Robotnik, screaming in blind rage as the thing raced down the hallway.

"YOU WON'T ESCAPE ME, FOOLS!" he screamed, rage filling up within his odd-shaped head.

The gang finally started to run as the machine approached with all speed, its strange legs pulling it forward with incredible rate. All of them darted away except Sonic and Knuckles.

Tails looked back at them with fear, not wanting them to die here "GUYS! C'MON!"

"GET TO THE PODS! WE'LL HANDLE THIS!" Sonic ordered as the machine approached the end of the tunnel.

Tails hesitated, not knowing what they had in mind. He just watched on as the multi-armed machine came down upon them. He watched them deliver their best against the machine.

He felt Sidney grab his hand from behind "Come on Tails… we have to go." Tails looked back at her and shook his head, fearing for the life of his best friends. But Sidney tugged at him, and he noticed that the others were waiting for him… they wouldn't leave without him.

He decided to go with the others, he knew that Sonic and Knuckles could handle things here, but he wasn't absolutely sure. He heard his feet pound against the cold tiles before he even knew he was moving again.

After the longest time, it seemed like they weren't getting anywhere. But eventually, with eight minutes left, they finally came upon the last of the escape pods, with all the others ejected.

There were eight left, just enough for everyone, including Robotnik. They were all pointing towards the Summer Camp, or what was left of it.

They all entered one and pressed the big red button that said 'escape' on the right side of the inner doorway.

They watched as the Death Egg slowly shrunk in the blackness of space, and finally disappear when the blue skies covered their vision.

There was no sudden impact, for the thrusters of the escape pods slowed the descent.

The escape pods' doors burst out from the main body, and they tumbled out of them, totally exhausted, but not relieved.

Amy looked to the stars, knowing that Sonic and Knuckles were still fighting Robotnik, and hoped, cried and prayed that they would both come back to Mobius safe. She hadn't noticed that the others were doing the same until she looked back, and she thanked heaven that they cared.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

The fight for freedom

Seven minutes…. They had seven minutes to fight and defeat a totally insane madman, get to the escape pods, topple an entire 1500 foot fortress, and make it back to Mobius without dying… perfect.

One of Robotnik's machine's arms lashed out at Sonic, landing just beside his feet after Sonic had moved out of the way, all while simultaneously swinging another at Knuckles, who punched it away effortlessly. Yet, Robotnik wasn't planning on being defeated anytime soon, so the fight drifted on.

They both knew that their world lay on their shoulders, and that their friends were watching from their beloved planet.

Two teenagers, who had probably just learned to drive, learned how to date, starting to wonder if they would go to college…. Two teenagers, who had no experience with war whatsoever, who were simply dreaming about their future… were now fighting a war for their dreams, for their future… for their planet… for their freedom.

They both knew this and both were willing to die for it… and now they just realized it…. They were willing to die for something that they didn't know they even loved…freedom. They had taken the precious, god-given free will for granted all this time.

The freedom to run around, tapping girls' lower areas as a means of flirting…the freedom of chewing and spitting seeds out a window… the freedom of helping others in need… the freedom to respect those in authority… the freedom to stand for what's right… to help little kids out of trouble… to make the best friends anyone could ever have.

For this freedom they fought… for this freedom they stood against the oppression that they were now facing… for this freedom that they barely even knew existed until now… they fought.

Six minutes….

Robotnik's machine lashed out with all speed and force, trying its best to keep up with the dynamic duo that was the two most unlikely creatures imaginable, those who started off as rivals that were now friends. They found themselves invincible like this; the adrenaline pumping like mad through their veins the race of their heart that seemed in tune with the contractions of their lungs.

For freedom they fought now….

Knuckles saw each blow coming from a mile away, and quickly batted them away quickly, while countering the blows with those of his own. Whenever he got a good enough clearing for his attack, he took it.

Sonic dashed around the machine, his fancy feet moving around, dodging everything that the strange vehicle could throw out. He noticed that the arms were following him closely, and that Robotnik was now using his entire concentration to focus only on the hedgehog… big mistake.

Knuckles saw his opportunity and took it without any hesitation. His fists launched themselves from their starting point over his head into the metal tiles on the floor of the hallway. The force was so strong that the bends and curves in the floor mad cracks in themselves, and they were headed straight towards Robotnik.

The legs of the machine bent awkwardly as a result and collapsed under themselves. Knuckles walked briskly over to the doctor and pulled his fist over his head again to bring it down upon the sinister villain. But before he could get close, a peach arm found its wait to his fist and he turned to its source… Sonic.

"What're you doing?" Knuckles asked, truly wondering the Hedgehogs intentions.

"Pulling your butt from the fire…. You don't want to be labeled a murderer do you?"

Knuckles lowered his fist slowly, understanding now.

Robotnik took his opportunity to escape. He ejected the arms off the machine (which he had dubbed 'eggtopus') and quickly used his hovering craft underneath it to jet himself towards the escape pods.

Sonic and Knuckles just saw him go off, knowing he had nowhere to go. They turned to each other and snickered a bit, then were on their way themselves.

Four minutes….

Sonic made his way to the escape pods room and saw Robotnik just barely get off when they entered the door.

Knuckles climbed into his as Sonic did his. Ironic or coincidence that they were right next to each other, and could see each other through the glass.

Then they ejected. The world of Mobius grew fast in the front window of the pods, and then the individual forests that they adored, then the individual trees that Sonic had admired when he first got to the Summer Camp. Then the escape pods soon slowed when entering the final few thousand feet of the descent. Then they saw it… the ruined Summer Camp.

They made it back to the planet safely, and climbed out into the sun-filled green grass with open hearts and renewed spirits.

Then something Sonic didn't expect happened. He felt Amy's familiar tight grip suffocate his lungs and constrict his chest. He could barely breathe.

"Amy…" he choked, his face becoming purple, but she didn't seem to notice his suffering. She was crying now, again… but there was something different about the sobbing. There was no sadness found in it, no sorrow met his perked ears at all… there was only one other explanation then…. She was happy.

But it was too much to take for Sonic, so he pried Amy off him and backed up a bit.

"Nice to see you, too." right after he finished his sentence, she launched herself at him, her flamingo-pink body like a spear with her arms extended.

Sonic jumped at the attempt, and dodged this time "WHOA, Amy… calm…" but he was cut off when she tried for him again.

Sonic saw what was going on and dodged it again, then was off like the fantastic blue speedy that he was.

"SONIIIIIC! DON'T LEAVE ME! ITS MY BIRTHDAY AFTER ALL!" she said, running after him, but he was too far away to hear her.

Tails widened his eyes a bit… it was her birthday? Well, he had SOMETHING for her, but he didn't know if she would like it or not.

He dashed into the boys' cabin to find his bag, and when he did find the large-sized baggage (for his inventions and planes), he reached inside to find what he thought she would like most.

Sidney's angelic voice caught him by some surprise "What're you getting?"

He was in the process of pulling out the pink and yellow mallet that he had inside. It was small, but was designed to enlarge whenever a button was pushed on its useful end.

"The Piko-Piko hammer… for Amy's birthday."

Sidney made a strange face at the object "Well… it IS pink…. But why is it called that?"

Tails lifted the hammer suddenly and brought its surprisingly light weight down on the floor. Instead of the large SMASH that Sidney had braced for, she heard only a small squeak from it.

"Oh…"


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Rewards and NEWS reporters

After Amy had finally stopped pursuing Sonic, she became extremely exhausted but still determined to get him.

Tails felt kind of bad for her, which was another reason to give her the Piko-Piko besides her birthday. When he walked up to her doubled-over and exhausted form, he handed her the bizarre present.

Amy looked up at him, breathing heavily "What's… this?" she asked, in between hoarse breaths.

Tails looked sweetly at her "It's your birthday present… I'm not sure if you'll…" but before he could finish, Amy had already snatched the strange mallet out of his hands and was Awing at its color, seeming to be no longer exhausted.

"THAT… IS… ADORABLE!" she screamed, her girlish glee overflowing her voice. She then grabbed the fuzzy two-tailed fox, lifted him off the ground and hugged him tightly "THANK YOOOU!"

Tails tried to free himself from her grasp, but was glad to see she was happy about the gift. Eventually, he did free himself and fell to the ground.

"Oh, gosh, I'm sorry Tails." She said, her hands in front of her mouth apologetically. Then she looked at the small hammer "Uhhh… why is it so tiny? I'm not complaining, but…"

Tails got up and pressed the button on the blunt end of the hammer, and it seemed to magically grow in size. She gawked instantly as it grew and her eyes widened. The surprising weight of the hammer didn't change at all though.

A few hours later, just as Angel had predicted, some vehicles showed up at the gate of the Summer Camp. She shook her head and smiled a bit as they came scampering out with camera equipment and proper dresses.

Sonic had stopped running and was sitting down next to Knuckles on a bench, the same bench that they had first talked to Tails.

The NEWS crew came running into the Summer Camp and started asking some people who had led to the destruction of the Death Egg. All of them seemed to point out that it was most likely Sonic who had done so. But none of them asked the others of the group.

Then the questioning began when they all ran over and started to ask the usual questions. "Sonic, Sonic…" said one of them. Sonic's reaction was somewhat confused at their questioning.

"Is it true that you started the self-destruct?" Sonic still looked confused, but tried to answer.

"I…" but he was cut off by more questions from the spastic reporters. Knuckles started to walk off, knowing that the reporters would only question Sonic, obviously only looking for his side of the story. And no doubt the hedgehog would boost his ego and answer all lies.

"Is it also true that you didn't have any assistance?"

"Hey, who…"

"How does it feel to know that no one helped you defeat…" this time, it was Sonic's turn to cut off.

"HEY!" Sonic barked, the heat in his face and blood to boiling point "I'm not the only one who took down the Death Egg… I didn't do that alone."

Suddenly Knuckles turned back to see that the reporters had stopped questioning for a moment. Then, to his amazement, Sonic continued with defending his claim that he didn't do it all on his own.

"If it weren't for him" Sonic pointed at Knuckles and the reporters followed "And him…" he then pointed towards Tails, who was standing near Knuckles "Her…" then to Sidney "Her tail" obviously to Angel "her inspiration…" then to Amy, who blushed in flattery "and even her…" he then pointed towards a very surprised Sally "she made me realize that I had something to fight for… and I had to change…" he then winked at Sally, who shook off her shock and smiled at him "If it weren't for all of them… there would no longer be a free Mobius."

Then Sonic walked away from the cameras and crew, who all seemed startled at his reaction. They all turned towards each other, then walked back to their appropriate vehicles. Soon they drove off, and Sonic was glad to see them leave.

But then another vehicle pulled up… a fancy black Sudan. Once it stopped, the front doors of the Sudan swung open and out came two body-guard bears with sunglasses on, which helped out an older wolf from the back seat.

They all walked over to the surprised group… obviously with something on their minds.

"I still cant believe it…" Sonic said, about thirty minutes later "WERE GETTING PAID FOR SAVING THE WORLD!" he screamed, suddenly with a very excited energy.

"Now I can buy a car." Said Knuckles, relishing the thought.

"I can afford my own workshop… always wanted that." Whispered Tails, but everyone caught it.

"I can buy that awesome elevated cabin in the woods" suggested Sally.

"I CAN BUY MORE STUFF!" Screamed Amy, her joy soaking her words.

"And we can finally build a training dojo in our house…." Angel pondered, then looked to her maroon half-sister for support.

"Awesome" was all she said to her, and Angel giggled.

Knuckles then pondered what Sonic wanted to do with his money "What're you going to do with it?" he asked Sonic directly.

"Ya know… I don't really know. I could obviously buy some chili-dogs… but other than that, I don't know." He answered, obviously serious. "Well… I guess we'll just see…. But now… it's time for the real vacation to begin."


	35. Chapter 35

Epilogue

Welcome back…

About two weeks later, Robotnik was strolling through the forest, looking for his possible last ditch effort. _Always have a backup plan…_ he thought to himself, knowing that this would undoubtedly unfold just as he had wanted it to.

He came to a clearing, and found his way to a center building in which he would launch his 'Backup plan'. The small building didn't look at all threatening on the surface, but beauty is only skin deep.

He walked into the building and started removing things, then pressed a button behind a picture. A small trapdoor opened from under a rug, and he climbed down the ladder into what he thought was the greatest concealed underground base he had ever heard of or seen.

Once he climbed down the ladder and got to the inside of an incredibly dark room, he put his goggles on his face and pressed a button on the side of them, creating infrared vision to better his eyes.

He walked around the lab he could now see, admiring all that was inside of it, especially the one thing he was looking for… his holy grail.

He walked over to the glass tube and studied the thing inside, knowing it would be his best chance. He placed his palm on the glass, fingers outstretched, and then moved it towards a small controlling device at the side of it and pressed a button on its numerical keyboard.

He returned his face to the glass as the being inside slowly opened its eyes, revealing a fiery glow of interest in Robotnik.

The vial began to drain the strange water on the inside and the glass tube opened, and the being spilled out over the cold metal floor, coughing and wheezing.

Robotnik was sure that breathing air by itself again after all that time would undoubtedly hurt, as would seeing and hearing. But eventually, the doctor saw that the being was getting used to his environment, and decided to speak to it.

"Welcome back… Shadow the Hedgehog."


End file.
